#HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KEEP IT TOGETHER AFTER THAT INTRO???

[mysonsareturtles]

Live footage of me asking my question at the tmnt cast panel after they called me out specifically saying they HAD to answer the question of the “gorgeous April O’Neil” up front.

[atlabeth]

bend an ear

pairing: peter parker x fem reader

summary: your boyfriend doesn't listen to you. good thing your friendly neighborhood spider-man does.

a/n: there's just something about him idk. andrew garfield spidey bc of course! look at him! this came from me playing the spider-man game after it went on sale and yearning for peter parker (will prob have to rewatch the movies bc of this) anyways hope you like it

wc: 3.6k

warning(s): reader's bf is shitty -- they argue for a while and he lowkey slut shames her. but this is basically all fluff otherwise bc childhood best friends to lovers babby!!! real yearning loverboy hours!!!

Peter just wants to go home. 

It’s been… a day. He got his ass kicked by an English test (he doesn’t have time to do the readings when he’s fighting crime), got his ass kicked by Flash Thompson (it’s not like he can fight back with his super strength and pulverize his ribs), and has spent every second since his final class ended fighting petty crimes around the city. 

Stopping ATM thefts and minor muggings feels good, sure, but on days like these, it doesn’t really make up for failing intro literature classes and getting absolutely zero sleep. He’s just thankful May is still letting him live with her while he studies at ESU—if he had to do all of this in addition to trying to make his rent? He doesn’t really want to think about it. 

So he swung his way to the roof of some random building, and he’s taking a break. Sue him, but Peter thinks he deserves it. What’s the point of living in a city like New York if you can’t have a second to yourself every once in a while? 

He’ll go home soon. Grab a bodega sandwich, maybe stop another crime, and then get home for some much needed rest. But for now, he’s just going to sit on this rooftop and relax for a second. Even Spider-man needs some peace and— 

“Babe—” 

“Why are you following me?”

Peter winces as the door slams open, an argument following close after as a girl storms out onto the roof followed by a guy speeding to keep up with her. His first instinct is to swing away as soon as possible, but for some reason, he stays. 

“Because I want to talk!”

“God, do you even hear yourself?” 

“You keep talking over me, so I really—” 

“You don’t get to babe me right now!” 

As if his day hadn’t been bad enough, now he’s accidentally made himself privy to some couple’s dispute. He’s about to web himself out of this third wheeling nightmare when the girl turns around with a groan, revealing her face, and Peter realizes who it is. 

It’s you.

This is your apartment complex. Peter came here without even realizing it, but can he really be surprised? Your name is synonymous with peace in his brain. Comes with the territory of being friends for so long—it still calms him, even when you’re being the opposite of peaceful. 

“I don’t get why you’re acting like this!” the guy exclaims, frustration clear in his voice. 

Of course. Why wouldn’t your shitty boyfriend be here too? The only reason you live here is because you scored this place together; said he didn’t want you living on campus anymore. Ethan Frey might be the bane of Peter’s existence after two and a half years of him being your boyfriend. 

“Because you and your posse are acting like complete jags in front of all my friends!” you shout back. 

He laughs in disbelief. “I’m just being myself, babe. Besides, you’re the one who said I could invite them!” 

“Because you complained about it just being my friends,” you grind out. “You weren’t even supposed to be here, Ethan! You just can’t handle the thought of me being around guys that aren’t you!” 

“Well, what the hell am I supposed to think, huh?” He gestures wildly. “You spend every second with that geek and I’m supposed to believe you’re not into him?” 

And now he’s eavesdropping on a conversation between you and your boyfriend about him. How could this get worse? 

“God, it isn’t like that at all!” you exclaim with a mirthless laugh. “Peter is my friend— my best friend since elementary school. You knew when we got together that wasn’t going to change.” 

“Yeah,” he says, nodding lazily, “but that was before I knew how obvious his hard-on for you was.” 

Peter feels his face heat beneath the mask, wants to wipe the sweat off his palms. That’s how it could get worse. 

Your nostrils flare as you turn away, your hands flexing while you shake your head. “Get out of here, Ethan.” 

“Oh, of course that’s where you draw the line,” Ethan mocks. “When I bring up fuckin’ Peter Parker.” He pauses then chuckles. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” 

Peter nearly intervenes right then and there, wanting to stop this mess before Ethan does anything to hurt you. But revealing himself sounds like the worst possible thing to do, so for once he listens to the rational part of his brain over the emotional. 

“He’s not even here!” you retort. “I live with you, not him. I’m dating you, not him. Why are you bringing him up?” 

“Because I’m not blind.” Ethan crosses his arms. “Y’know, I thought you’d get over this little thing after you let me take you out, but for some reason, it’s exactly the same. I swear you spend more time with him than me.”

Your hands clench into fists. “Get out of here.” 

He scoffs. “You want me to leave you up here?” 

“Yes,” you nod. 

“God, you’ve been acting crazy this whole night!” he complains. “You’ll freeze up here. Just get over it—we’ll go back down, I’ll get you a beer—” 

“I hate beer.” 

“Then I’ll get you a fucking apple juice,” he spits. “Just stop being so dramatic.” 

“You’re not listening to me!” you shout. “I want you to leave me alone!” 

This time he says your name, and you shake your head. 

“Go back to the apartment,” you interrupt. “Because if I have to spend another second with you, our relationship might not make it through the night.”

For once, Ethan is silent as he stares at you. You stare back with no sign of giving up. Eventually, he just huffs and shakes his head. 

“Whatever.” He starts walking towards the door. “You better cool off up here, because I’m not dealing with this shit when you come back down.” 

You stare at the door for a good twenty seconds once he closes the door—slams it, rather—before you angrily kick a stray soda can. Your childhood days of rec soccer must still be in you, because you get an arc on it. Just before it can go over the side of the building, Peter shoots a web to catch it wholly on instinct. 

Your eyes widen as you dart around, and Peter is finally spotted from his place on top of the roof door building thing. What is that even called? He doesn’t really have time to think about it. The aluminum can crunches as it flies into his hand, and you stare at him in complete shock. 

“Uh,” his mouth suddenly feels very dry, but he has to make some excuse for why he’s up here, “littering is bad.” 

Good one, Parker. 

“You’re Spider-man,” you say, eyes still wide. 

“The one and only,” he nods. 

“Oh my god,” you mumble, finally seeming to break out of your shock as you cover your mouth and turn away. “Oh my god, Spider-man just heard my relationship falling apart.” 

“I didn’t hear anything!” Peter exclaims. “I—”

You shoot him the withering look he loves so much, that was able to get his bullies to shrink on the spot in high school—it feels weird being on the receiving end of it. 

“I’m not stupid,” you say. 

“I kn—” He has to stop himself from saying I know, because realistically Spider-man has no idea who you are. “I’m sorry.” 

You huff and cross your arms. “Do your superhero duties include eavesdropping on failing couples?” 

“It was an accident,” Peter says. “I was up here before you were. So technically, you were eavesdropping on my actual superhero duties.” 

You laugh, and he smiles just at the sound of it. One benefit to wearing the mask, because it would expose him right on the spot. “Oh yeah? And what are those?” 

“Patrolling the streets,” he says. “I’ve got a very good vantage point from up here.” 

You hum, your mood turning a bit more morose as you glance away. “Well, I’m sorry you had to hear all that during your patrol.” 

“I’m sorry you had to go through it,” he says. “Your boyfriend sounds like an asshole.” 

You roll your eyes. “He’s fine, most of the time. Just had a little bit too much to drink.” 

Peter will never understand why you defend Ethan so much. You’ve been together since freshman year and he’s only gotten worse since then—maybe he hides how he is around you, because he hasn’t really shied away from showing Peter how much he hates him this past year.

“He looked pretty sober to me,” Peter says. “And trust me, I have plenty of experience fighting guys that have had too much to drink.” 

You huff. “What are you, a spider-therapist?” 

“I’m good at a lot of things,” he says. “And I’m always good for bending an ear.”

“Surely you have better things to do than listen to me complain.” 

Peter shakes his head. “My schedule’s pretty clear right now, actually.”

“Really?” you marvel. “There’s no crime in New York City at,” you check your watch, “11:37 pm?”

“Absolutely none,” he says. “I solved it all. At least for now.”

You laugh again at that and gesture with your head as you walk over to the edge of the roof. “Then I guess I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Peter jumps down and follows you over. You hoist yourself on top of the wall, legs dangling over the edge, and he feels himself frown as he leans his back against the wall and looks up at you. 

“Isn’t that a little dangerous?” 

“You’ll catch me if I fall,” you say. 

“Obviously,” Peter says. “I’m supposed to encourage safe behavior in New Yorkers, though.” 

You laugh and tilt your head up towards the night sky. The moonlight reflects in your eyes and Peter knows he could get lost in them forever. “Just this once, then.” 

“I think I can let it slide.” 

“Good.” 

A comfortable beat of silence passes between the two of you, and Peter finds himself smiling. No wonder he ended up at your place out of instinct. There’s nothing else like your company. 

“I always think it’ll be different,” you murmur. Peter glances up at you, your expression shifted to something more melancholic. “We’ll have a good day, which’ll turn into a good week and a good month, but he always does something to mess it up. It’s like it’s in his DNA.” 

He stays silent as you think. Most of the time when you rant to Peter, you just want to be heard, not given advice. At this point, he’s an expert at listening to you. It’s not like he minds. 

“I want things to work out. I— I still love him. I mean, I think I do. But everything is a fucking struggle with him. If I don’t do things the exact way he wants, if I try to do something for me instead of him, if I can’t read his fucking mind, then he loses it and we argue. And I’m so fucking tired of arguing!” 

Your voice has risen by now, and you bite down hard on your cheek. Peter doesn’t realize he’s started reaching towards you to comfort you until you look back down at him, and he runs his hand over his head in an effort to cover it up. 

“I’m sorry,” you sigh. “I promise, I’m a much nicer person than this. You just caught me at the worst time.”

“Don’t worry,” he says. “I know.”

Your brows rise. “Spider-man knows I’m a nice person?”

“I can just tell,” he rushes, trying to save himself. He’s doing a real good job at not revealing his identity. “I’m good at reading people.”

You chuckle and shake your head, then adjust your position so your back is towards the open air. It makes Peter nervous, he can’t lie, but it’s not like he’s not a superhero. 

“So, spider-therapist,” you say. “Any advice?” 

So this is one of the rare times you do want answers. Peter wonders if you’ll leave your boyfriend if Spider-man tells you to. 

“He doesn’t sound great,” Peter says, inclining his head. “How many times have you argued this week?” 

“Four,” you say. “Five, if you include tonight.” 

He whistles. “And it’s only Wednesday.”

You tip your shoulder. “We’re efficient.” 

“And unhappy, it sounds like.” 

“We’re not unhappy,” you defend. “We’re just…” 

“You’re up here talking to me instead of down there with him,” Peter says wryly. “That doesn’t exactly scream ‘happy couple’.” 

You shake your head with another sigh. “It’s because he can’t get over Peter.” 

He tries to act as nonchalant as possible when you bring him up. Is this an invasion of privacy? Letting you talk to him about all this when you have no idea who Spider-man actually is? 

Instead of floundering over moral qualms, he just clears his throat. “And who’s he?” 

“My best friend,” you say. “The one person who’s been by my side since the second I moved to New York. He means everything to me.”

Peter feels his heart skip a beat. “Yeah?” 

“He’s like— like the opposite of Ethan, and it’s wonderful. I guess that’s why Pete irks him so much. Y’know,” you pull out your phone and start typing in your password, “maybe I should call him. He always knows what to say.” 

“No!” Peter exclaims with a bit too much force, causing you to give him a look. “No— I mean, it’s late. He’s probably asleep. And— and it’s a school night?” 

You tilt your head, and Peter exhales when it seems to work. “True. He’s probably studying for that biochem test.” You grimace. “I should be doing that too.” 

He watches you type out a few texts and send them, and Peter’s never been more thankful to have his phone on silent. What a way that would be to blow his cover. 

You shove your phone back in your pocket with another sigh. “I just hate that my boyfriend and my best friend don’t get along. I love them both—why can’t they like each other?” 

“I mean…” Peter trails off when you look at him, and he gestures with his head. “It seems pretty obvious why they don’t get along.” 

“Yeah,” you say dryly. “Because Ethan thinks Peter likes me, and he probably thinks I have some secret crush on him too. I swear, he’s always looking for a reason to fight.” 

God, could the universe be calling him out any more? It’s honestly ridiculous how this is going. 

“Do you?” Peter asks, because he can’t help himself. “Like him, I mean.” 

“I don’t know,” you murmur. “I love Pete, I do. It’s always been the two of us no matter what. But I…”

He holds his breath as he tries not to look at you, tries not to make it too obvious that he might have stumbled his way into his simultaneous dream and nightmare scenario. 

He’s had a crush on you for what feels like forever. Since you stood up for him against his bullies in elementary school, honestly, and it’s only grown over the years as the two of you have grown. From recesses spent together and bike rides through the city; spending the night in Peter’s apartment because it was easier for your sister to let it happen than try and drag you back home; endless nights with heads bent over textbooks trying to study for tests, over college applications trying to get into the same place, and now studying and researching near every damn weekend together because you’re both unfortunate enough to try for ESU STEM degrees. 

You were there when Ben died. He’s there on every anniversary of your parents’ accident. Without knowing it, you were there when he got bit and his whole life turned upside down. 

You and Peter have been there every step of the way for each other, and it’s why he’s content with just friendship—Peter wants you in his life no matter what. But he can’t lie and say he doesn’t hope. 

No, actually. He yearns. He’s doomed to be a yearner for the rest of his life because he’ll never stop loving you. How could he? 

“I’m not sure,” you finally say with a sigh. “All I know is that I’d rather be with Pete tonight than Ethan.”

Peter wonders if your chest compressions are still as good as they were in high school, because he feels like he’s about to have a heart attack. 

You’d rather be spending tonight with him than your boyfriend of two years and seven months, and Peter isn’t even supposed to know. 

You mistake his silent freakout for nonchalance, and you clear your throat as you jump back onto solid ground. 

“Well, I’ve spilled my soul to you,” you say wryly, crossing your arms. “Anything a superhero can spill in return?”

Peter thinks for a good, long second. His hands itch to take off his mask, to do what he’s wanted to do since he got bitten by that stupid spider and show you who he really is. 

How many times has he been a total asshole, canceling plans on you because he had to go stop some supervillain from wreaking havoc in Times Square? How many times has he been late to something important to you because he was caught up stopping dime a dozen muggings? He still remembers the look on your face when he showed up just in time to miss the entirety of Les Mis’s opening night with your first lead role. 

You were a better best friend to Peter than he was to you because of this stupid mask. If he took it off, it wouldn’t make every mistake fade away, but it would sure help explain some of it. 

But Peter has been doing this since high school, and he has seen far too many times what happens to the loved ones of heroes. They’re used as leverage, used for ransom, sometimes just straight up killed.

You’ve been friends with Peter since you and your sister moved into the apartment next to May’s thirteen years ago. It doesn’t matter if you never share Peter’s feelings. You’re one of the only constants in his life, and he’s not going to lose you because he’s too selfish to keep a secret. 

Losing you would be the last straw. He couldn’t take it. 

So Peter pushes all thoughts of secret identities revealed out of his mind and tries to chuckle convincingly. 

“I’m allergic to peppermint, believe it or not.” 

You stare at him, deadpan. “That’s nowhere close to all the shit I just gave you.” 

“It’s true!” he exclaims, holding up his hands. “Happened after I got bit by the spider. They’re repelled by peppermint oil, and I guess I am too.” 

You shake your head in disbelief. “I can’t believe Spider-man is a coward.” 

“A superhero’s gotta have some secrets,” he says, and he taps the side of his head. “Otherwise this thing doesn’t do much good.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” you say. “Whatever.” 

A chill suddenly goes up Peter’s spine and he whips around—he can hear a distant scream followed by a distant gunshot, and he mentally curses. 

“Duty calls?” you ask, drawing his attention back to you. 

“Yeah,” he says. “I’m sorry—” 

“Don’t be.” You smile, and it’s genuine. A nice change from the state Ethan effortlessly puts you in. “You went out of your way to cheer me up. Pretty super of you.” 

“I hope it makes up for the eavesdropping,” he says. 

“More than,” you nod. “Now get out of here. Your city needs you.” 

Peter nods too, and he backflips onto his original spot. “Have a good night. You’re real special to somebody.” 

He’s gone before you can say anything else, already zipping across the rooftops to get to the scene of the crime. Peter can only think of your face as he swings through the air—all the things he’s too scared to say to you. 

The crime, which turns out to be yet another petty theft, is resolved easily enough with some punches, kicks, and a snappy one-liner. Once he’s retrieved the woman’s purse and alerted the police, he’s back in the sky. 

Peter only stops once he’s swung a couple miles away, perching on the edge of some rooftop for some actual peace and quiet. He checks around once or twice to make sure he’s not somehow back at your place, and when he’s sure it’s all clear, he pulls his phone out. He swipes past all the notifications he’s racked up until he finds the one he’s looking for: the texts from you. 

hey pete, I know you’re prob asleep rn but you were right. I really need to study for that test lol

wanna meet me at the library tomorrow after QM? I’ll buy the coffee this time i promise <3 

as long as you use your roomie’s dining dollars to get me a croissant lol 

Peter can’t help but smile, larger than anything tonight. This is why he’s okay with being nothing but your friend for the rest of his life. 

Deal. Anything to get you an A 

lol

asshole 

Never 

Try to get some sleep. No good studying on a tired brain 

Three dots appear for a good long second, enough to constitute a decent paragraph—then they disappear. In its place: 

I’ll try just for you 

night boy genius

(How could he not love you?) 

Night, girl wonder

[omega-e123]

!! NSFW !!

Suggestive. Blood mention.

AKA: Intro to very self indulgent rut fic. You have been warned

In A Rut..

Prologue (HERE!) || Restraint || Indulgence || Adoration

Odd behavior.

There Shadow goes again, walking off. He’s been acting strange lately. At first Shadow was practically clinging on to you.

Normally he doesn’t initiate physical contact, but at home he’s been snuggling into you, holding your body down so you can’t leave him. Attempting to part ways results a grumbly hedgehog.

The kisses don’t stop coming either. Knuckles every time you hold hands. Cheeks and forehead whenever he has to leave, no matter how short of an absence. Even if he’s going to be right back.

Jealousy has also become a big thing. Talking to anyone Shadow deems as a “threat”, he’s looming behind you, head on your shoulder and hands on your hips.

The worst it got was on a date at a bar. Shadow left momentarily to get you a drink. When he returned, someone was flirting you up. Enraged, the glass completely shattered in his hand. It sure scared off that guy. You had to bring attention to the shards in his hand, because he wasn’t concerned at all about it. Instead, Shadow slammed some money on the table and took your hand with the non injured one and left.

Next thing you knew, he’s been keeping distance from you. Both physically and shortening the time you two hung out.

He’s stopped initiating all together. Any advances you made Shadow wouldn’t turn down, but he would abruptly stop or attempt to keep it short. Started wearing a mask around you too.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Something is wrong with him. Your smell alone has started making his head spin. Every fiber of his being is drawn to you. Seeing you forces his quills to stand up on end.

Is this what a heart attack feels like? The pounding drum that is his heart is deafening. There’s no room to think. The only thing on his mind was you.

It’s not like he hasn’t thought about you that way. Hell, it’s not like you two haven’t done the deed either; however, the intensity and frequency of these feelings have been cranked up to 100. It felt more primal.

The complete self restraint Shadow has to not pin you against the nearest wall, public or not, and shove his tongue down your throat is tearing him apart.

Such odd behavior was concerning. Swallowing every bit of ego and embarrassment, he turns to Rouge for answers.

Some help she was. That damn bat.

“Sorry, no can do. Sounds like a biological thing and not in the alien sense. I know you’ll hate to hear this but, try asking Sonic about it. You both are hedgehogs after all.”

“I think I would prefer skinning myself and be turned into a rug—“

She gives him a hard pat on the back, “Don’t say that. It wouldn’t be so bad~ I suppose you could ask Amy about it too… Or suffer! Your choice.”

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

What’s worse? Confronting Amy or Sonic?

That blue little shit would never let him live it down. Sonic could implode from hysterical laughter if Shadow told him about these thoughts.

Amy… It’s simply too TMI. While she is understanding and more open, what if she didn’t know anything.

Shadow’s instincts pull him towards the former option. Unfortunately for the hedgehog, he was semi right.

Sonic took a good minute turned away from Shadow. His hand clasped over his mouth and the other holding his stomach. Sonic reeling in his laughter and forcing not a sound to come out.

“Nono! Sorry! It’s cute!”

“Cute?” Shadow’s eyes narrow.

Sonic waves his hand, as if he’s fanning the comment away. “Never mind. Sometimes I forget you’re bioengineered. What you’re going through is a rut.”

“This better not be some kind of joke.”

Hands in the air, feigning surrender. “I’m not. You’ve probably never experienced it before because you ain’t got bitches you never had a partner. It’s the one time a year hormones go crazy. Some other Mobians also experience it too, like deer.”

Shadow’s massages his temples, processing the new information. “You’re telling me, it’s a biological signal that it is time to breed.”

“Odd way to put it but yeah, basically. Lasts about two months. What you do with that information is up to you. G’luck buddy” he gives Shadow a thumbs up and runs off.

Two whole months. Only about two and a half weeks have passed and already Shadow can’t stop thinking about you splayed on his bed begging for his touch.

[violettwrites]

american teenagers — intro.

next

helloooooo my loves!!! here’s an intro into my comeback fic, american teenagers! i sat on this idea for a little while during my tiny break and i honestly couldn’t get it out of my head. i was heavily inspired by ethel cain for the vibes of it all, hence the name :)

please bear with me in all this as i do get easily overwhelmed and experience burnout very quickly but you guys are always supportive so i have no doubts!!

i’m not sure when the first chapter will be out, but i’m slowly working on it as i am very excited for you guys to read it! lots of love xx

the summer of 1987 was supposed to feel different. everyone in town kept saying it— teachers, parents, the tired voices on the radio between commercials. they said it like graduating highschool meant anything would actually change. but for the kids in the trailer park on the outskirts of town, it wasn’t much more than another hot season stretched out between long days and longer nights. the same parties by the lake, and the same dreams about escaping that no one really believed in.

the days were always the same for you. early mornings at the gas station counter, and evenings at the diner pouring coffee for truckers passing through. anything to keep you out of your father’s path really. your nights were often spent on the roof of your trailer, a cigarette in one hand and a notebook full of half-finished plans and dreams in the other. for daryl, the boy you had known since he was a scrawny little thing with clothes too big for him, it was merle’s shadow and busted knuckles, endless hours fixing bikes and cars in the sun while dreaming of roads that led anywhere but this small town.

you couldn’t remember a time when daryl dixon wasn’t around. his trailer was only three down from yours. you had been inseparable since the day you caught him standing by the broken fence of the trailer park, segregating the southside of town from the rest of the townspeople. the two of you had seemed like an odd pair to everyone else— daryl’s constant silence and smoldering anger along with your rough edges and restless energy —but somehow, it worked.

the summer after highschool felt like your last chance to figure out if those dreams the two of your had whispered about on those late night drives would ever come true. but the weight of this small town— the trailers, the jobs that paid barely enough to keep the lights on and your fathers off your backs, the scars you didn’t talk about —it all hung heavy between the both of you.

you didn’t really realise it at first, the way your feelings for daryl had shifted. it wasn’t a lightning bolt or this big grand revelation in your head. it was slower than that, like the way the heat crept up during june, making itself known in those hazy afternoons and the sweat dripping down your back. you started to notice those small things— how his voice softened when he talked to you, or the way his shoulders relaxed when the two of you were alone. you couldn’t pin point when it changed, only that it had.

daryl wasn’t any better at handling it either. he’d always thought of you as the one person who saw him for more than what people whispered about the dixons— trailer park trash, troublemakers, destined for nothing. you didn’t flinch at the bruises he didn’t explain, or the scars he wouldn’t talk about. you were his anchor, his light. but now, everytime you smiled at him or touched his arm, it felt like something inside him was breaking apart and putting itself back together all at once.

that summer wasn’t just about the heat, the bad decisions, or the endless nights spent sitting under a starless sky. it was about the weight of knowing you could only hold onto each other for so long before something— or someone —pulled you apart.

neither of you had the words to say it yet, but you both knew: the end of your childhood was here, and whatever seemed to come next would either bring you both closer or tear you apart for good.

if you enjoyed this, please give it a like/reblog! your support always means the world to me 🫶🏻

stay tuned for the first chapter! if you’d like me to add a tag list, comment below!

[athenamikaelson]

Klaus Mikaelson x Reader!Soulmate x Elijah Mikaelson PART 5

Word Count- 3.3k

Warnings- Swearing, violence, slight SA, Elijah being a simp.

A/N- This chapter wasn’t much but I wanted to get something out to you guys. NEXT CHAPTER though, there will be a lot of Elijah and reader. I am very excited to write that. And most likely the chapter after that will be the intro of our favorite Hybrid, which I know many of you have been itching for. 

ALSO, I want to thank you all for your support. It means so much to me that so many of you love this series as much as I do.

“Wait, so Rose is dead, werewolves are roaming the streets of Mystic Falls, and some bitch kidnapped you? All in a span of a week. ”

I look up to Caroline who is sitting behind me braiding my hair. She solemnly nods and frowns. 

“Ya, thankfully though Elijah’s witches came in clutch and helped save the day,” Caroline says as she moves my head forward to go back to braiding my hair. 

“Elijah helped,” I question Elena, who sits before me with Bonnie as they paint each other’s nails. Elena had called me an hour ago saying we were having a sleepover at Careoline’s but she never explained why. 

She nods, “Ya, I guess he is keeping his side of the deal.

Bonnie chimes into the conversation but I tone them out. Ever since that night in Elena’s room, my mind has been plagued by thoughts of the suited original vampire. His dark eyes haunt my dreams and when I’m awake I feel as if he’s not far away. I know I’m being delusional but I have these moments where I think I’m going to turn around and he’s going to be standing right behind me. 

“He’s kind of cute,” Caroline’s words bring me back to the conversation at hand. 

“Who?” 

“Have you not been listening,” She asks me, to which I just shrug my shoulders embarrassedly. Caroline and I have started to have an interesting friendship. Unlike my friendship with Elena in which we both have somewhat trauma bonded, my friendship with Caroline is more her talking my ear off and me enjoying not having to talk. I had originally thought that Caroline and I wouldn’t mesh well since I kind of hate people who don’t know when to shut up. But oddly enough we work well together. I don’t pressure her to stop talking and she doesn’t pressure me to talk. 

Bonnie and I on the other hand both talk much so when we’re together it’s mostly in peaceful silence. I think we both appreciate that though with all the hectic things we’ve had to deal with. 

“Elijah. I was talking about Elijah. He’s got that suave gentleman look to him, but he also looks like he’d be a freak in the sheets if you know what I mean,” She jokingly shoves me but for some reason hearing her talk about him that way makes an odd feeling rise in my gut, “He seems like your type Y/N.”

My eyebrows furrow, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Caroline shrugs her shoulder, “I don’t know, just an inference.”

“How about we order food,” Elena pipes up, I’m guessing she noticed the embarrassed look I had on my face and decided to rescue me from that awkward conversation. I send her a small smile as Caroline instantly agrees and Bonnie nods. 

—

Thirty minutes later, Bonnie, Elena, Caroline, and I are sitting on the floor of Caroline’s bedroom eating Chinese food. I watch silently as Bonnie and Caroline argue if we should watch The Notebook or Pride and Prejudice. Elena sits next to me watching and giggling at them. As I sit there silently watching all my new friends, I find myself smiling to myself. For the first time in years, I actually feel as if I belong. As if I’m a part of something. And I like it. I really like it. 

—

RING RING RING

I jolt awake at the ringing of a cell phone and groan as the morning light pierces my eyes. I’m not the only one annoyed from being awoken because I hear Caroline and Bonnie growling at Elena for answering her phone so early in the morning. I can hear some of what she and Stefan are talking about from her position outside the door but decide listening to them flirt isn’t how I want to spend my morning so I throw my pillow over my head and try to suffocate myself. I’m about to doze off when my pillow is ripped off my face. 

“First of all, suffocation really,” Elena glances down at me from her standing position, “Second of all you’re getting a call.” She hands me my phone. I glance down at the unknown number on the screen and groan as I answer it, already annoyed with the caller.

“What do you want Damon?” I asked annoyed as I waited for the vampire to respond. 

“I’m picking you up from your house in an hour you better be dressed to impress Mystic Falls’ elite.”

“What the hell are you talking about Demon?”

“Listen Pukey, I got word that our favorite original is going to be at the Mayor’s tea party and you’re going as my plus one.”

I frown at Damon’s mention of Elijah, “Why me?” 

I hear Damon groan from his end as if all my questions are annoying him, “For some reason, the suited one has a soft spot for you so I’m guessing he would be less inclined to kill me with you at my side. So get your ass ready and be ready or I’ll drag you to the party in your PJs,” Damon pauses for a moment, “You know what, feel free to wear what you’re wearing now. I'm interested to know what you wear to sleep. If anything at all.”

I loudly gag and Damon laughs and then ends our call. I groan and sit up. I turn over my shoulder to see Caroline and Bonnie cuddling together and sleeping. I slightly smile at the sight but freeze up. Elijah. I’m seeing Elijah today. 

—

“Well, don’t you look darling,” Damon smirks at me as I get into the passenger seat of his Mustang, “Elijah’s going to eat you right up.” 

I visibly shake at his words and shoot him a glare.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Elijah doesn’t have a soft spot for me.”

Damon just hums to himself, “Sure. Whatever you say Pukerella.”

—

As we climb the stairs of the Mayor’s house I nervously fiddle with the hem of my dress. I tried my best to find something suitable for the Mayor’s tea party but unfortunately, I didn’t have the funds for expensive beautiful dresses like my peers so I had to settle for a simple white sundress that stops at my mid-thigh. There is dark red lacing that lines the hem. I matched the red thread to a hair ribbon I had and used that to put my hair up. What is making me the most uncomfortable though is that I got this dress a long time ago, so I’ve filled it out in places that are quite visible. 

“Stop fiddling,” Damon says as he grabs my arm in his and holds it to his chest like we’re some cute couple and he’s a gentleman. Both are very much false. I try to shake away from him but his grip only tightens. He leads us up the steps and through the door where classical music fills the room. Many old women converse together as we pass.

“Damon and Y/N, what are you guys doing here?” Jenna questions him as she walks over to us, she notices me and a look of confusion contorts her face as she notices our interlocked hands.

“Hi, you came,” Some blonde woman comes up to Damon and kisses him deeply on the lips resulting in a gag from me. Thankfully the distraction made Damon unlatch his arm from mine so I squeezed past them and go to stand behind Jenna. This doesn’t last long as Damon thanks Jenna for introducing him and his “friend,” as he walks back over to me grabbing my arm and leading me away from them. I almost trip when I see where Damon is leading us. Right towards Ms. Lockwood and Elijah who is unsurprisingly wearing a suit that looks like it was made just for him, which I’m guessing it was. I lock eyes with him and his lips turn upwards into a small smile but it slightly drops as his gaze drops down to my dress. 

Damon and Ms. Lockwood achieve pleasantries and she introduces Damon to Elijah, who still has his eyes locked on me. Damon pulls me closer to him which catches Elijah’s attention. His once soft eyes darken as he stares at the arm Damon has wrapped around my waist.

“Such a pleasure to meet you,” Damon extends a hand to Elijah and I feel as if I’ve lost all the air in my lungs as Elijah reaches his hand up to Damon’s.

“No. Pleasure’s mine,” Elijah claims but as I notice the grimace on Damon’s face as he contracts his now-redden hand from Elijah’s I’m guessing he’s not being entirely truthful. 

“And oh! Y/N, I didn’t know you were going to be joining us today,” Carol finally notices me as she gives me a once over, “This doesn’t really seem like your crowd.”

I bite back the urge to tell her I’d rather be sticking pin-needles in my eye sockets than have to listen to any of the pompous bitches, but just politely smile at her. 

“Oh, Miss. Y/L/N here is my plus one,” Damon chimes up. Carol looks at me suspiciously as if I shouldn’t be here. 

“I didn’t know you and Y/N were friends.”

Damon throws his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, “Oh, yes. We’re great friends. Practically best friends if you will.” Carol just nods her head as if she doesn’t completely believe it but relents as she turns to Elijah who hasn’t moved his eyes from Damon’s hand. With all the attention my skin starts to crawl and I raise my left foot slightly and kick it down onto Damon’s right one resulting in a painful hiss to escape his lips. His hand instantly drops from my shoulder and within a moment I feel another hand lightly grab my wrist and pull me away from Damon. I’m almost happy until I see the hand that has grabbed me belongs to no other than Elijah. For some reason though as soon as he has pulled me away from Damon he drops my wrist and lets me stand on my own. I know I shouldn’t but I send him an appreciative smile. For a moment Elijah just stares at me blankly before nodding his head, he quickly turns his attention back to Ms. Lockwood but before he’s fully turned away from me I could’ve sworn I saw a light pink hue on his cheeks. Was he blushing? Wait. can vampires even blush?

—

“This is a bad idea, why are you trying to provoke an old ass vampire who could quite literally kill everyone in this building within a blink of an eye,” I frantically ask Damon as he leads me into an empty office in the Mayor’s house. 

“He’s not going to kill us, he made a deal,” Damon responds nonchalantly but from the look in his eyes, I don’t think he truly believes himself either. 

“You’re quite right Damon, I did make a deal,” I whip around to see Elijah coming into the office and shutting the door behind him, “But, I made a deal with Elena, not you. So tell me, what can I help you with?”

“I was hoping we could have a word,” Damon smirks at him.

“Where is Elena?”

“Safe with Stefan. Laying low, you know bit of a werewolf problem,” Damon answers his question. Elijah nods his head. And my eyes watch as his fingers draw circles on the chair he’s leaning on. 

“Oh, yeah. I heard about that,” Elijah responds and I glance up from his hands to see him staring at me with a small smirk on his face. Fuck, please god tell me he didn’t see me ogling his fucking fingers. He taps his index and pointer finger twice on the leather seat in front of him once more as if he knows that’ll answer the question I just asked myself. I whip my view from him to the wall beside me as Damon and Elijah keep talking. Although I can't see him I can still feel Elijah’s eyes burning holes onto the side of my head. 

“I’m sure you did since it was your witch who saved the day.”

“You are welcome.”

“Which adds to my confusion on exactly why you’re here,” Damon stop fucking questioning him before he rips your throat out!

“Why don’t you just stay focused on keeping Elena safe and leave the rest to me,” Elijah turns like he’s about to leave and I release a breath but Damon speeds in front of him stopping him.

“Not good enough.”

I sit there holding my breath, as Elijah stands there still looking at Damon.

“Elskan,” Elijah turns his head to glance at me, “Please turn back to the wall.” 

I don’t fight him on this as I whip back around and continue staring at the wall I had previously stared at. I flinch when I hear Damon hit the wall by the desk. I almost gag when I hear the sound of bones cracking and Damon grunting in pain. 

“You young vampires, so arrogant. How dare you come in here and challenge me?”

“You can’t kill me, man. It’s not part of the deal.”

“Silence,” Within another second a squelching sound hits my ears and Damon starts grunting in pain. I’m glad Elijah gave me the heads up or I’d be throwing up right now. 

“I’m an original. Show a little respect. The moment you cease to be of use to me, you’re dead. So, you should do what I say. Keep Elena safe.”

I hear Elijah’s footsteps retreat towards to door but I hold my breath as they stop.

“Elskan,” I slowly turn and quickly avert my gaze from the bloody Damon and look up at Elijah who is standing at the door, “I will be seeing you shortly.” He stares at me momentarily before speeding away. What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

—

“Why am I here again,” I question Damon as he leads me and Alaric into his mansion of a house. 

“Because I needed a drink asap,” He turns over his shoulder to look at me, “Unless you’re offering?” 

I cringe in disgust as Alaric comes to stand in front of me. 

“Leave her alone Damon,” Damon just rolls his eyes and makes his way to the couch, and pours himself a drink.

“Let me talk to him for a few minutes then I’ll take you home myself,” Alaric sends me a small smile, and even though I know there are no bad intentions in his proposition being alone with an older man I barely know unsettles me. But since it’s getting dark outside and I live on the outskirts of town, I need a ride. Better a history teacher than an alcoholic vampire. 

“Ok, thanks,” I send him a small smile and then turn to Damon, “Where’s your bathroom?” I glance down the neverending hallway.

Damon throws his hand up and waves it around nonchalantly, “There’s like 30 of them, go hunting.” Alaric sends me a sad smile and gestures towards the hallway to our right. I nod and walk away from the men 

After five minutes of walking down hallways and opening up random doors, I find myself in a bathroom bigger than my entire living room. Fucking rich people. After using the bathroom and wiping my face with water to try to wake myself up I start walking back towards where I think the living room was. I freeze though when I notice I don’t hear Damon’s annoying voice, matter of fact I don’t hear anything at all. I get a bad feeling in my gut so I go to turn back around but something smashes into my skull and the world goes black. 

— 

“Ah, there she is. Morning sweetheart,” I frown as an unfamiliar voice grates my eardrums. Mixed with the pounding headache I have I think I’m going to be sick. God, I have got to start taking Tums. I try to move but something cold and heavy is holding me back. I slowly open my eyes to see chains wrapped around me holding me in place in a chair. No matter how hard I try they won’t budge. 

“Aren’t you a pretty little thing,” A man’s voice registers as I look up to see an ugly-looking man staring down at me. The look in his eyes makes my heart drop to my ass. I flinch back as he drags his finger down my face and fight the urge to cry as the finger makes its descent down toward to center of my chest. 

“Leave her alone,” Damon, who I’ve now realized is sitting next to me chained up and bloody, yells at the man. The man only laughs sickly but thankfully lifts his hands away from me.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt her,” He claims but the look in his eyes has me thinking otherwise. Damon must think this as well because he lets out a low growl. 

“He might not hurt her but I will,” I woman’s voice chimes in but before I can find where it’s coming from a sharp pain slashes into my leg and I scream out as waves of agony wash over me. Damon’s yells are all I hear as I look down to my thigh which now has a small dagger in it. Tears involuntarily spill out of my eyes as my blurry vision looks up to see my assailant. A blonde woman stares down at me with a smile, but nothing about it is friendly and warm. Her smile deepens as she reaches her hand back down and within another moment I’m screaming again as she pulls the knife from my leg. 

“You fucking bitch,” I cry out, resulting in a deep laugh from her. 

“Hey, fleabag! Leave her alone alright, I’m the one who pissed all over your kibble, come stab me.” Damon tries to coax the woman. 

She just smiles again, “We want the moonstone. Where is it?”

“Get over it, honey. You’re never going to get it.”

I verbally groan at Damon’s response and try to fight back against the waves of tiredness of feeling. I know with the amount of blood I’m losing that if I go to sleep now I’m most likely not waking up. And there’s no way I’m letting this bitch with dead ends be the reason I meet my demise. 

“Looking for this,” I almost let out a cry of relief as I looked up to see Elijah leaning against a wooden pillar. His nonchalant attitude instantly changes as I catch his eye. His dark eyes furiously move over my face, his nose crinkles (almost cutely), and his eyes look down to my bleeding thigh. My once-white dress is now as red as the ribbon in my hair. 

I try to stay awake as Elijah makes his way down the staircase with the stone in his hands. My eyes keep opening and shutting though as my vision keeps blurring. I hear bits and pieces of screams and bones cracking before I feel the weight of the chains around me disappear and a warm hand raises to my lips. 

“That’s my girl, come now Elskan. Drink.”

—

I wake up in my bed with a loud groan. My hands stretch out beside me as I feel the white fabric of the comforter. Wait. White? I quickly sit up and instantly regret it as a wash-up pain flows through my body. But the fear that I had just awoken in a bed that is not my trumps that pain. What the fuck happened last night? “You’re awake, wonderful,” A deep voice comes from the edge of the room, “We have much to discuss, Elskan.”

[triptuckers]

I'll chain myself to your soul - robert keating x reader

Request: nope Pairing: robert keating (bobby skeetz) x art student!reader Summary: bobby thinks you're too busy to visit him on tour and he's trying not to let it show how upset he is about it Warnings: swearing (ofc), bobby being upset :(, smoking (the band & reader), mentions of sexual themes but nothing actually happens, uhhh mentions of hickeys?? mentions of alcohol. other than that nothing but my undying love for bobby Word count: 5.1K (I got a little carried away...) A/N: inhaler is the only thing on my mind these days what was I supposed to do? not write about them? also keep in mind I know quite literally nothing about them just that they're irish and make banger music. (and bobby is a LOVERBOY. fight me on this) enjoy!

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'you really can't make it?'

bobby's voice pulls you from your concentration. you look up from your sketchbook at him. it's the day before he has to leave for tour, and the two of you decided to relax rather than plan a bunch of activities.

'yeah, sorry, love.' you say.

he walks over to you and sits down next to you, resting his head on your shoulder.

'that's really nice.' he says, looking at your sketchbook.

'you think so? they're just warmups.'

'you say that every time you make something that looks fucking amazing.'

you chuckle at his words, turning your head slightly so you can kiss his forehead.

bobby is silent as he watches you draw. they really were just warmups. you were sketching the empty plates that were on the table, you hadn't cleaned up after dinner yet. there was a bigger piece you needed to work on. and from experience, you knew you'd get less frustrated if you warmed up before you started with that.

next to you, bobby mumbles something you can't quite hear, his breath tickling the exposed skin of your neck.

'what was that?' you say.

'I'm gonna miss this.'

'watching me draw?'

'yeah. you. and us.'

you put your pencil down and turn, taking bobby's face in both of your hands.

'we've talked about this, my love. we'll call and text, like we did the last tour. you'll play with the guys and have an excellent time. and I'll be waiting for you at the airport when you get back.'

bobby smiles at you but his eyes are still a bit sad. 'I know. you won't get rid of me that easily. but calling isn't the same and you know it.'

it was breaking your heart, seeing him like this. knowing you had a flight booked. but it would be so worth it in a few weeks. you just had to pretend for a little while longer. and hope everyone else would keep their mouth shut about it.

you lean in and softly kiss his cheek.

'want to watch a movie? I can always work on this later. and you'll be leaving tomorrow, so we'd better make the most out of these last few hours together.'

bobby's eyes light up. you knew it would do the trick. he loves cuddling with you. and a movie is the perfect excuse to do so.

while he picks a movie from the pile of dvd's you own, you change into a more comfortable outfit. it's a bit hard to navigate your way back to the couch. being an art student and living in a tiny flat isn't the best combination; there's piles of sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere.

and it doesn't help bobby decided to stay with you until he needed to go to the airport, so his bags are also added to it all.

while trying to get to the couch, you trip over one of your own bags and nearly face plant onto the floor, if it wasn't for bobby.

he's s quick to catch you, his hands on your hips to steady you. you smile gratefully at him. as you settle on the couch, you look at the tv to see which movie he picked.

when the familiar intro starts, you narrow your eyes as you look at your boyfriend.

'did you purposely pick one of my favourites?' you say.

bobby shrugs. 'I don't know what you're talking about. I fucking love legally blonde.'

you laugh at his response and cuddle closer to him.

as you watch the movie, you can tell bobby's not really paying attention to it. his fingers are lazily drawing patters on your leg, and he keeps pulling you closer.

you don't mind. you've seen the movie a thousand times, and you'd much rather focus on bobby.

when the movie ends, it's getting late. you're very comfortable on the couch in bobby's arms, but you know he has an early flight tomorrow. so instead of snuggling closer to him, like you normally would, you move to get up.

bobby makes a noise of protest, grabbing your wrist and pulling you back down on the couch.

'bobby.' you laugh. 'you have an early flight tomorrow. come on, we can cuddle in bed.'

you watch as he thinks it over, seems to agree with it in his head, and then nudges you to get up again. the second you stand up and walk towards the bedroom, you feel bobby taking your hand and interlacing his fingers with yours.

he always did get more of a lovesick puppy when he knew had to leave for longer periods of time. not that you minded. but it was getting harder and harder to keep this secret, knowing how upset bobby was about not seeing you for so long. if only he knew.

while the two of you get ready for bed, you notice how bobby is constantly touching you. a hand on your waist, leaning against your side, fingers skimming your lower back as he walks past you to reach for something.

he even sits on the edge of the sink as you finish your skincare for the night. only when you put all of your products away and bobby knows you'll follow him, does he go into your bedroom.

even though neither of you didn't really do anything tiresome that day, you're quick to fall asleep. maybe it's the fact you know your alarm is set for very, very early. or maybe it's just the fact you always sleep better when bobby's next to you.

it feels like only a couple of hours later, when the sound of your alarm wakes you. you roll over - as much as you can, with bobby laying practically on top of you - and hit the snooze button.

you're very comfortable, wrapped up in bobby's arms. but after snoozing your alarm for a third time, you really have to get up.

'bobby.' you say softly, nudging him. 'we gotta get up.'

'five more minutes.' he mumbles.

'we already had five more minutes half an hour ago. we really have to get up, or you'll be late.' you say.

bobby sighs, opening his eyes. you smile at him, leaning in to softly kiss him.

'horrible fucking morning breath, love.' he says as he frowns and pulls away.

you let out an offended noise and move away from him, but bobby reaches out and pulls you back. he smiles at you before kissing you again.

'you're lucky I like you.' he says. 'even when your breath stinks.'

'fuck off. as a punishment, you're the one who has to make us both breakfast now.' you say.

'oh no, what a horrible thing to do.' says bobby sarcastically.

'come on, get up. for real.' you say, pushing him towards the end of the bed.

bobby moves back to you yet again, but you're quicker. you reach out and press your cold feet against his bare legs.

'fuck, love!' he exclaims. 'mean.'

'necessary.'

'you love tormenting me, don't you?'

'it's what made you fall in love with me.'

bobby smiles, steals another quick kiss, before going into the kitchen to finally make you breakfast.

like every time one of you has to leave early, time seems to go by twice as fast as usual. before you know it, bobby's bags and suitcase have been loaded into your tiny car and you're off to meet the others at the airport.

once you've unloaded all of the bags, you say hi to the others. they're all buzzing about tour and you're glad to see bobby is excited as well. he was pretty quiet throughout the drive, and you knew it was because he was in his head thinking about being away from you.

haley, eli's girlfriend, walks up to you.

'hi!' you say.

'hey you!' she says, hugging you tight.

'how are you doing?'

'good! excited about joining them for tour.'

the two of you look at the guys messing around, their happiness is infectious.

'bobby looks happy.' says haley.

'he does now, but he's been so upset about leaving.' you say. 'I felt awful lying to him for so long.'

'well, you're not in the clear yet. just a little while longer.'

'I know, I know. wish time would go faster though. and you all better keep your mouth shut about this, or all my lying and hiding my plane ticket would have been all for nothing.'

haley pretends to zip up her mouth and throws away the imaginary key, making you laugh. at the same moment, eli walks up to you.

'are you all ready, darling?' he says to haley. 'we have to board the plane soon and still need to get through security.'

'all ready! let's get this show on the road.' she says, winking at you.

the two of them join the others just as bobby approaches you. he smiles at you, but you can tell he's still sad. you reach out and wrap your arms around his waist, looking up at him and smiling brightly.

'you're gonna have the best time.' you say.

bobby nods and pulls you in for a hug, burying his face in your neck.

'I'm gonna miss you.' you say softly.

you pull back slightly so you can look him in the eye. 'call me when you land, okay?'

'I will. send me some of your sketches, yeah?'

you nod, then pull him in for a soft kiss. you press your forehead against his when you break apart.

'I love you.' you say softly.

'love you too, darling. so fucking much.' he says.

'oi!'

you look over bobby's shoulder, glaring at eli for ruining the sweet moment you were having with your boyfriend.

'come on, loverboy, we can't tour without a bassist.' says eli.

bobby rolls his eyes as you chuckle at eli's words.

'you heard him, loverboy.' you say.

bobby's eyes snap up to your face. 'don't ever fucking call me that.'

you laugh and pull him in for another kiss.

'go get 'em, love.' you say. 'have fun out there.'

'I'll call you the second we land.' bobby promises, kissing you one last time before joining the others.

you wave until you can't see them anymore. then you start to head back to your car to drive home.

even though you knew you'd see bobby again soon, it's hard. your flat isn't that big, but it sure can feel enormous when bobby isn't in it.

and even though you knew you'd see him again soon, time goes by painfully slow.

you didn't lie about everything to bobby, you do have classes. just not nearly as much has he thinks, and it was hard not to call when you were "in class".

once assessment days have passed and the new project is assigned, you're getting closer and closer to seeing bobby again. the current assignment you're working on is simply filling a sketchbook with a consistent theme, experimenting with different techniques and materials.

and if you happened to fill every page of the sketchbook with illustrations of bobby, they really couldn't disapprove. not if "traveling with my rockstar boyfriend" was your theme. and, you told yourself, surely your teachers would understand if it required you to study your subject up close, right? no big deal.

as you're sitting in your last class of the week, you're practically counting down the seconds until it's over. after this class, you'd finally travel to see bobby.

they've been touring for about two weeks now, even though it feels like eternity. of course, you'd called and texted with bobby whenever you could. the more time he spent on the road, the more he talked about tour. you loved to see him like that, the way his eyes sparkled when he told you about the most recent show they played.

you're so caught up in your thoughts, you nearly miss it when your teacher dismisses you all. a smile forms on your face as you quickly shove everything in your bag, then head to the door while waving at your friends.

you send bobby a text, saying class is over and you would love to call, but you had back to back meetings about some project. which was, again, a total lie. you had a flight booked and you needed to get to the airport as fast as possible.

the trip home takes half as much time as usually, and since you'd already packed your suitcase, all you have to do is pack a few things you still needed that morning. you throw on a different sweater to be more comfortable, text haley your updated schedule, and you're off.

you really love haley. she's become your best friend ever since you started hanging out with the guys. she's been with eli for ages, and taught you some very good strategies to keep the media coverage to a minimum when you're going out with bobby.

and it's nice to share with her what it's like when your boyfriend is a rockstar traveling the world, and you're a student. even though you and haley do very different studies - she's an english culture and literature major - you often get together for study dates, even when bobby and eli aren't on tour.

once you arrive at the airport, you get hit with a wave of deja vu. only two weeks ago, you were here saying goodbye to bobby. now you're about to board a flight that takes you straight to him.

you're an exciting mess while waiting for your plane. you really missed bobby whenever he was away. especially given you always struggle to fall asleep on your own, ever since you and bobby started spending more and more time with each other.

while the trip to the airport and the waiting at the gate takes forever, the fight itself seems to go by in a blink. you tried to pass the time by sketching in your sketchbook, but you're too excited about seeing bobby again.

as you wait for your suitcase to arrive at the baggage claim, you text haley. she tells you she's already waiting at the park and ride, and she assures you bobby doesn't suspect a thing. she also made sure the others kept their mouth shut about it. and she updates you on what she and eli have been up to in between shows. haley also hints about something she simply cannot tell you over the phone, which makes you excited to see her.

after waiting nearly twenty minutes on your suitcase, you finally spot the bright yellow suitcase you'd covered in stickers. you pull it out - which doesn't go as smoothly as you'd hoped - and follow the signs to the park and ride.

when you get outside, you quickly scan the parked cars. then you spot a familiar brunette in a white coat and a dark blue scarf. just as haley spots you, she waves excitedly at you with both of her hands, rushing to meet you.

'hi!' you squeal, hugging her.

'hi!' she says. 'how was your flight?'

'longer than it should be. I'm so ready to see bobby.' you say.

'come on, they're dying to see you!' says haley, pulling you towards the car.

'whose car is this?' you ask, as you put your suitcase in the back.

haley shrugs. 'someone from the crew. don't worry, I asked nicely.'

the two of you get in the car, taking off your coats and scarves. you pull out your phone to shoot bobby a quick text about the imaginary class you had today, telling him you'd call after you'd run some errands. as usually, he instantly replies, telling you he can't wait for your call. as haley pulls out of the park and ride, the radio starts playing some old 80's rock song.

you look at haley to ask her how long the drive to the venue will take, but you're distracted.

'haley.' you say. 'what's that in your neck?'

immediately, her hand flies to her neck, covering the very obvious trail of hickeys there.

'fuck!' she says. 'my concealer must have worn off.'

you watch as she flicks open the mirror above her to study the bruises on her neck.

'is this what you couldn't tell me over the phone? haley, the amount of weird and also very explicit shit we've texted each other, and you couldn't text me eli basically assaulted your neck?' you laugh.

'no, that's not what I was going to tell you.' she says. 'well, it's part of it. but not the big thing I was going to tell you.'

'we're calling it a big thing now?'

'yes. the hickeys, well, I got those after I said yes to eli asking me if I want to move in with him when we get back from tour.'

'haley! shut the fuck up!' you say, grabbing her arm.

'watch out, I'm fucking driving!'

'sorry, sorry!' you quickly let go of her arm. 'haley! that's huge!'

'I know right! he asked me after the paris show. I mean, it was so fucking cliché he asked me in paris.'

'don't act like you didn't love it.'

'of course I did! remember that conversation we had about if the bunks on the new bus would fit two people? well, they do. not super comfortably, but it helps eli isn't that tall. with you and bobby though, it might be a tight squeeze.'

'oh no, we'll fit in there.'

haley looks at you, eyebrows raised.

'what? I've been on tour before, did you think I'd sleep in a different bunk?'

the two of you spend the next twenty minutes chatting non-stop. catching each other up on everything you didn't text, and going over everything you did text each other once more. you'd never run out of things to talk about with haley.

before you know it, you arrive at the venue. haley calls eli to ask him where they are. he makes a big deal out of explicitly asking her how the stores she checked out were - what you assume was the cover story they told bobby to explain why haley would drive off.

after confirming they're outside by the busses having a smoke, you get out of the car and follow haley as she leads you towards them.

'you nervous?' she asks you.

'more nervous in an excited way, you know? even though it's only been two weeks.' you say.

'you and I both know two weeks can feel like an eternity.' she says.

you spot the busses in the distance and a smile forms on your face when you hear eli's laughter. you push haley to go first, so it wouldn't give you away immediately.

when you hear the guys greet her, you wait a few seconds to follow her.

ryan is the first to see you, smiling at you but keeping his reaction very subtle, so it's not obvious right away. he nudges josh, who also smiles at you.

haley says something to eli, who turns around to catch your eye.

and then, finally, bobby spots you.

'oh shit.'

in a matter of seconds, he's dropped his cigarette and made his way over to you. bobby wraps his arms around you and lifts you off of your feet.

you laugh into his neck, inhaling his familiar scent mixed with cigarette smoke.

when bobby puts you down, he's got a huge smile on his face. you smile back at him just as he leans down to kiss you.

after not seeing him for a while, it's the best feeling ever. you shuffle your feet closer, wanting to be even more near him. bobby is all too happy to return the favour, pulling you closer. you're so caught up in this, in him, you don't even register haley and the guys whistling at you and cheering you on.

bobby pulls away and you instantly miss the feeling of his lips on yours.

'you're supposed to be in class.' he says. 'what the fuck are you doing here?'

you laugh, pressing a quick kiss to his jaw. 'I might have lied about that.'

'what about your project? that new assignment?'

'I didn't totally lie about that, I just decided to pick you as my subject.'

bobby smiles at you. 'I really fucking love you, you know that right?' he says.

'yeah, I know it. I love you too.' you say.

'oh, I know you do. otherwise you wouldn't have flown across europe to surprise me.'

'is it a good surprise?'

'the fucking best, love.'

bobby kisses you once more before finally allowing the others to say their hellos.

after a lot of smiles and hugs, you catch up with them while sharing a cigarette. you can feel bobby's hand on your waist the entire time, and you revel in the feeling of it.

way too soon, the guys have to go inside again to start prepping for the show tonight. haley catches you up on all the things that happened while you weren't there, and the two of you watch the soundcheck.

knowing you wouldn't be of much help right before the show, you decided to already head to your spot early with haley. but not before saying good luck to bobby, of course.

he smiles as he walks up to you. you can't help but to check him out from head to toe. you always loved seeing him in his stage outfit right before a show.

'like what you see?' says bobby, leaning in to kiss your cheek.

'very much.' you say, looking up at him. 'are you free tonight?'

bobby chuckles at your words. 'trying to pick me up, are you?'

you shrug. 'figured I could try.'

'I'm flattered, but I have a girlfriend.'

'really? she's a lucky girl.'

bobby laughs softly and kisses you.

'we were thinking of all going out for drinks after the show. if you're not too tired after your flight.' he says.

'sleep can wait. I just want to spend as time with you as much as I can.'

'drinks it is then.'

'I'm gonna head to the balcony with haley, make sure we're not in the way or anything.' you say.

'get a good view.' says bobby, winking at you.

'I always have a good view when I'm looking at you.' you say. you lean in and kiss him softly. 'have fun tonight, I'll come find you after the show.'

with one final kiss, you leave bobby to prepare for the show with the boys, finding haley.

the two of you head up to the balcony that's reserved for friends and family. a few of the crew members are there as well. you chat with haley while waiting for the show to begin.

it's a lot of fun watching everyone enter the venue. the support act is very nice and you're pleased to see the crowd loves it as well. and then it's finally time for inhaler to take the stage.

no matter how many of their shows you see, and no matter if you're backstage, in the crowd or up on the balcony like tonight, it's always amazing.

you love watching bobby on stage. his eyes are hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, but you can feel his eyes on you during the show.

you and haley dance and sing your heart out, and a couple of minutes before the show ends, you make your way backstage. you're watching them from afar, putting their last bit of energy in the end of the set.

as much as you love watching the show, nothing beats the sight of a sweaty, smiley bobby running up to you and wrapping you up in a big hug. you don't care that the sweat makes his hair stick to the skin of your neck, you just pull him close.

'you did so good! hell of a fucking show!' you say.

bobby just smiles at you and leans in to kiss you hard, his hands on your waist to steady you. you laugh as he kisses your cheek and hugs you again.

'we'll clean up and get changed, then we're going to find a pub, yeah?' he says.

'sounds good to me. I'll go outside to have a smoke.' you say.

bobby presses another quick kiss to your lips, then he takes off after the others.

haley walks up to you just as you head to the backdoor. you pull out a cigarette and smirk as she comes closer.

'the sweat has washed your concealer off.' you say, opening the door and welcoming the cool evening air.

'fucking hell.' you hear haley say behind you.

you light your cigarette as you watch haley pull out her concealer and her phone to hide the hickeys under a new layer of makeup.

'they're really on fucking fire with this tour aren't they?' you say, taking a drag from your cigarette.

'yeah, they are. they feel really good about it as well.' says haley.

'it'll definitely be one to remember.' you say. 'bobby said they'd clean up and get changed, then we're going to the pub.'

haley looks at you. 'you guys aren't staying behind?'

'no? why would we?'

'because you haven't seen him in over two weeks. and I know you. you two are obsessed with each other.'

'obsessed is a big word. in love? definitely. wildly. but I wouldn't say obsessed.'

'I saw the way you looked at him when he came off stage after the show.'

'and?'

'girl! you looked like you'd climb him like a tree right there and then!'

you laugh out loud, doubling over and clutching your stomach. haley takes the cigarette from you so you don't burn the ends of your hair (which - yes - has happened before).

when you can finally breathe normally again, she hands your cigarette back to you.

'okay, you've got a point there.' you say. 'but it's not just bobby I haven't seen in two weeks. it's all of you as well.'

'okay, okay, fair enough. I get it.' says haley.

you take another drag of your cigarette as the door behind haley opens, and the guys pile out into the night.

'told you.' says eli, kissing haley hello, and then lighting his own cigarette.

'hi love.' you say as bobby approaches you.

'hey.' he says, plucking the cigarette from your lips. 'you two ready to go?'

'yep! let's go.' you say, your eyes lingering on bobby as he takes a long drag from your cigarette. 'you can finish that one.'

bobby winks at you. this man knows you love watching him smoke.

you all start to head to the pub, talking about the show. just as you'd expected, they're all still on a high. it really had been a good show.

five of you squeeze into a corner booth while josh heads to the bar to order the first round of drinks. bobby slides into the booth after you. you know the booth isn't that big, but it isn't necessary for bobby to sit that close to you.

but you'd missed him so much, you lean into him as you say something to haley, who is sitting on the other side of the table.

time flies while you're all laughing and talking the night away. just as ryan sets down his beer, eli looks at bobby and nudges his head to the door.

'wanna go for a smoke?' he says.

bobby nods and pulls out his cigarettes, handing you one.

'I'll come as well.' says haley.

the four of you climb out of the booth, and josh and ryan follow. they'd find a different booth when they come back in.

it's colder outside than when you got the pub, and you pull your coat tighter around you. bobby notices, and wraps an arm around you. while pulling you closer to him, he takes out his lighter.

you want to get out your lighter as well, but instead of his own, bobby lights your cigarette first. you swear you can feel haley smirk at you from where she's standing next to eli.

ryan is talking about another pub that someone recommended, but all you can focus on is bobby's hand on your lower back. which is slowly but surely sliding lower and lower.

you shoot him a warning look, focusing on ryan's words.

just as ryan suggests going to check out the other pub, bobby leans closer to you.

'we've entertained them for long enough, don't you think?' he says in a low voice. 'and I know for a fact my bunk fits both of us. come on, I'm dying here, love.'

'robert.' you say, catching his hand and pushing it upwards. you would not wake up to paparazzi photos of bobby's hand on your ass. 'it's rude to just leave.'

'come on, it's better for everyone. this way we don't have to worry about anyone hearing us.'

'bobby!'

'what? it's not my fault you can never keep your mouth shut.'

'I would argue that it partly is your fault.'

'wanna test it out?'

'you're insufferable.'

'you're the one who couldn't keep your eyes off of me the entire show.'

'well you-'

'you two are not being as quiet as you think you are.' says haley.

you look over, noticing everyone is watching you.

'and I'm not just saying that about this conversation.' she says.

your jaw drops as everyone else chuckles. you look over at bobby, who was laughing as well. you elbow him in the ribs.

'sorry for exposing you but someone had to say it.' says haley.

'talking about exposing, your concealer has worn off again.' you say with a smirk.

haley's hand flies up to her neck as eli's eyes widen. he takes off his blue zip-up sweater and hands it to haley so she can wear it.

everyone is looking between you and haley. but when the two of you start laughing, they seems to decide it's all good.

'you two go on back to the venue.' says haley to you and bobby. 'we'll party on without you.'

you smile at your best fiend. 'if you-'

'okay, thanks, bye.'

before you can say anything else, bobby has already grabbed your hand and started walking away.

'bye!' you yell over your shoulder at the others as they cheer you on. you laugh at your friends. you really do love them. even if they tease you and bobby endlessly.

you struggle to keep up with bobby's long legs, but you don't want to slow down either. and maybe the others were right, and it's better if you have the bus to yourselves. you really missed bobby and you know he missed you too. you're not sure you could stay quiet even if you tried.

A/N: thanks for reading! everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. please do not copy, translate, plagiarise or repost my work! some of these are requested by other people and I spend a lot of time and effort on my works <3 much love, marit

[cloversnstrawberries]

Omg ;;; I need to know more about Malpractice and silly lill "kid" user. Like what does Malpractice do once he takes them.

Or was it a slow process since Malpractice probably wanted to get an idea of what he's dealing with and prepare a room!

Omg, plz yap about him. I will love to hear everything about him ;;

intro post | masterlist

!!! i was literally so happy when I got this ask,,, ohmygah,, i would be more than happy to infodump about the physical incarnation of “oopsie” “WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘OOPSIE’? YOU’RE CURRENTLY DOING OPEN-HEART SURGERY?”…

this also got a little longer than i anticipated </3 i would add a 'read more', but it breaks the formatting and idk how to fix it :[ i just love him so much. i love my OCs so. i have to spill all his lore like it's spaghetti in my pocket at the slightest prompting.

Malpractice is a very methodical person in general. So I don’t think he’d exactly rush in on trapping reader, but that’s not to say he wouldn’t want to be quick with it.

Reader probably has some sort of ‘give-and-take’ power, the kind that’d be demonized to a certain extent. Probably a medical/healing related one as well, which would hit Malpractice right in his withered, literally rotting, heart.

The mentor would be a flashy sort of superhero, some sort of power relating to light/fire probably. You were assigned to each other not because the agency thought you’d work well together,

But because they were certain your mentor could keep you in check. They treated you like a ticking time-bomb, and the only reason they took you into their custody was to prevent you becoming an antagonistic force if you’d ‘fallen into the wrong hands’.

They treated you like an object, is what Malpractice thought when he uncovered it all. Really, it hadn’t taken very much digging at all to find your medical, training, and academic records.

…Then again, he supposes that’s no fault of the agency. Of course there was an easy back door in for him, he made the system. It was funny, how they never bothered to change it much-- even though it’s been nearly a century.

You’d think they would’ve, since the agency was very well aware of the little hiccup that caused Malpractice to become the way he was. Granted, he’d never been a very altruistic or good person in the first place; but he never had the means to enact over half of what he does now until that ‘hiccup’.

While the general public— and even a large majority of of the agency’s staff— didn’t know of the connection, the higher ups most certainly did.

Well, no skin off his teeth if they didn’t patch up the holes he used to get into their documents. Just made it all the more easy for him, hm?

But regardless, after reading the documents on you-- He decided to try and get you away from the agency’s grasp as soon as he could.

At first, he simply watched you from a distance. Oh, how he hated it, watching you being treated like you were,

But he never made a move to intervene, to let himself known. Malpractice wasn’t really known for being antsy-- he was a very patient person, all things considered.

He’d waited years, hell, even decades, for plans to come into full effect.

This time around, with you involved, he could hardly even wait the three months he had before you fell into his awaiting arms.

It wasn’t a fun time for him, having to keep tabs on you from afar; make sure you weren’t getting roughed up too terribly.

Then, he started helping you when your mentor would just up and leave you; which he had come to know, was a very common occurrence.

Far more common than it should be. Even once would be far too much, considering how you’re frontal lobe wasn’t even fully developed yet.

Usually, he didn’t have much of an opinion on the particular people running the agency at the time. He’s seen various board members and CEOs come and go,

But he’d couldn’t help but think of this bunch as complete and utter idiots. cruel, biased idiots and not much more.

At first, you’d hardly notice his ‘help’, when enemies would just keel over unconscious— or pitch forward and upchuck randomly, you thought it was strange how it was happening more and more often—

You never made the connection though. Obviously, you wouldn’t have, because no one was aware Malpractice had returned in the first place. He decided to lay low for once, make sure to leave his grand reappearance until after you’re safe and sound.

Eventually, his ‘helping hand’ got too obvious to ignore. Especially at one instance, where your mentor left you with an actual danger. Not some group of burglars or a smalltime, wannabe villain.

No. You were left with an established villain. One that even your mentor would have a little trouble subduing. In a rather uncharacteristic spur-of-the-moment decision, he sent in one of his helpers.

Your opponents suddenly getting sick, anytime they came even remotely close to landing a hit? Strange, concerning even; but ultimately, couldn’t draw a strong enough connection to anything (or anyone) in particular.

However, when a re-animated corpse shambles on the scene and beats the shit out of the villain you were fighting,

Well, it was undeniable. The connection to Malpractice— the agency kept it a secret, something they did quite often. They’d realize he was around again, but wouldn’t let the public know until Malpractice made himself known.

It was a self-preservation tactic, really. He could become quite agitated if his plan for a grand entry was smothered by the agency’s meddling.

He’s a very theatrical person, like his whole existence can be defined by the phrase “comic book villains are just theater kids that somehow got the means to enact their shenanigans on a large scale.”.

After that, he didn’t really see a point in not meeting you face to face. Obviously, he couldn’t just waltz up to you! He understands that looks absolutely terrifying, even ignoring the reputation he’s built for himself.

He’ll just scare you off!

So obviously, the next course of action was to find a fresh corpse, embalm it to try and get the most out of it time-wise; and puppet it around in order to meet you.

Very normal behavior in his mind. But the again, he hasn’t necessarily been all there for almost a century now-- not that he’d admit that part.

Out loud or otherwise.

When that body ‘expired’, damage too noticeable for any sane person to assume they were a living, breathing person; he just got another one.

He did this a couple times, learning things about you from the source-- hopes, dreams, hobbies, interests, so on and so forth. He used his findings to create a room in one of his favorite safehouses.

Honestly, he's quite sure that the agency knows the location of it; but use that knowledge to purposefully avoid it. It's funny to him, how much fear he strikes in them, because the heads know better than anyone just how difficult he was to deal with.

They'd leave him alone, even when he took you. Wouldn't come looking for you, even if they put two-and-two together and figured out where you'd gone. But he'd be foolish to think that the only reason behind that would be the fear they feel for him.

No, they view you as expendable. All the more reason to take you in, obviously! Again, children shouldn't anywhere near this sort of work. Even if you aren't literally a child, you'd be hard pressed to get that through Malpractice's thick skull.

[keen-li]

"IT JUST SLIPPED"

Today you had to shoot a cooking talk show like video for your YouTube channel. You were so excited and happy cause you had two special guests. Bangchan and felix.

You had a hard time sleeping cause you were so nervous today. And as you walk through the studio towards the set up kitchen you get even more nervous.

"Have they arrived?" You ask your assistant as she walks beside you.

"Yes they just got in" as she says that the nervousness sinks in more.

Its the first time you and any straykids members are filming something together, you have many reasons to be nervous but the main reason is you're afraid you might slip up. Slip up? Yeah you're afraid you might accidentally call chan 'baby' like you always do when you're with him. But most of the time when you're with him it's not infront of large lights and cameras.

Nobody knows that you two have been dating, not your companies, not your crew, not even you're assistant, it's still kinda new so you wanna keep it low. The only people who know you and chan are dating are his members. Who said they found out when they all "accidentally" saw you and chan's chats. The defenders were han and Lee know, when you saw those two open there mouths to defend you knew it was bullshit. Who accidentally reads three months worth of conversations in front of others accidentally.

You were kinda mad and embarrassed that they read your messages cause you and chan had some spicy texts and pictures in there. But chan promised to talk to them and keep his phone better which made you feel better.

And it seemed like chan's talk did work on them, cause they never brought up any of the messages or made any silly joke about it. They only congratulated you and made you feel comfortable.

You see the familiar figure of your boyfriend and his bandmate walk in straight to you. You and chan give eachother smiles hoping no one noticed cause you and him need to keep this a secret.

When they approach you, felix first, you share greetings and give eachother hugs. When chan hugs you he tries to not make it obvious by placing his hand a little lower on your back.

"I missed you" he whispers into your ear and you feel the heat consume you.

"Shut up were supposed to be undercover" you joke.

"But I missed you too" you confess still in a whisper.

You two missed each other like you didn't text and facetime everyday when you can.

He walks by you as he greets the crew.

After sometime and getting things ready it's time to film.

Since its your youtube channel and show you have to be the one to introduce them.

"So today we're gonna do a little cook and chat" you begin to say to the camera.

"But before we do I wanna introduce you to two people" you give a look to chan and felix as they take it as a sign to get into frame. They give their biggest smiles to the camera as they bow to it and to you which you return as well.

They give their intros and you smile at them as they express how they're happy to be here and how much they've always wanted to be on your show. It makes you blush but it's not like you didn't know. One of the reasons this filming idea came up was because chan expressed to you how much you he wanted to be on your show. And after both of your companies accepted, the date was set.

You and the boys laugh as you answer some funny questions and chop up some food. One of the questions led to chan having to tell an embarrassing story which makes everyone in the studio laugh. You also end up telling a story and chan can't help but watch as you smile and giggle when you tell the story.

He always loved hearing you talk and express yourself, it's one of his favourite things about you. Feeling his loving gaze on you, you glance at him and warn him making him look away and focus on washing the lettuce.

You're cutting some cucumber when it slips from the grip of the knife and cuts you a bit.

You hiss catching everyone's attention. Chan looks at you worried as he watched you rush to the sink. It kills him how he can't just run over to you and care for your wound just because people might find out.

"I'm good guys" you say but it doesn't help lighten chan's heart.

Felix notices his uneasiness and taps him on the back. "She's okay bro relax" he doesn't pay much attention to that as he watches a staff wrap your finger with a bandaid.

After you get back you grab a new knife and new cucumber as chan stares at you still uneasy.

"I'm okay chan" you smile at him and he feels a little more relieved when you say it directly to him, maybe it's your smile that comforts him. But he still wishes he had been the one to help you.

You continue to shoot the video as chan takes over the cutting duty and puts you in egg boiling duty. Which you rolled your eyes at. He's so protective, as if you couldn't burn yourself with hot water.

After you're done with the shooting, chan approaches you.

"Let me see your hand" he grabs your hand not even letting you choose whether or not he can see your hand. But you let him cause he's just trying to be caring.

"Are you okay?" It's a question he keeps asking you and you don't know if you wanna answer him again.

"I'm fine chan, now let go of my hand before someone sees us." He doesn't take heed to your words and continues to examine your finger touching I lightly which you find comforting.

"You don't look fine. Want me to give you a hug?" He says slowly moving into you. If no one has noticed the two of you someone's gonna notice now. You try and push him away giggling at his words, you really don't want your cover blown but chan doesn't seem to care. He doesn't care actually.

"Baby I'm okay" you say a little louder than you expected. You immediately move away from chan and stare at the people now staring at you. If the company hears about this you're screwed.

"I meant chan" you laugh awkwardly.

"It just slipped" you try and assure the people around you. You know they couldn't care less but you'd never know who'd be a snitch.

"I call everyone baby anyways" chan laughs as you try to convince yourself.

It's no use they heard you clearly.

.....

Its been been seven days since your cooking episode with chan and felix aired. And you heard some rumours and theories going around on the Internet.

So you decided to check on the comments yourself.

Chan giving y/n those loving eyes

I want someone to look at me like the way chan's looking at her

If these two aren't dating I'm gonna take y/n

These two gotta be dating look at the way he's looking at her.

I can feel the tension between them

The chemistry between these two.

Kiss already

You didn't realise the tension between you and chan was so obvious. Maybe it's the way you spoke and looked at eachother. And after watching the video for yourself you can definitely see it.

"Our love can't be hidden" chan said when you brought the issue to him. You laughed, he doesn't take this seriously huh?

[inarjollyhound]

Fixed Points in time in BDFI's Timeline

TPOT 15/BFDIA 17 Spoilers

I think it's very interesting which events are either completely or mostly unaffected or resistant to any of changing timelines in TPOT 15 and BFDIA 17.

Voting Results

Even before One bestows everyone with the knowledge of the original timeline- none of the vote results are changed- Aside from the implication that Taco won the 1-vote difference in that Post-split BFB episode in the Pillory Ruins.

2. The Challenge for TPOT 15.

This could have been put at risk- if all of the active hosts hear that the OG timeline involved them not being the host (Especially Four and Announcer). Thank fully, it seems that only a couple of them heard the implication that someone else was supposed to be the host.

Thankfully, despite all the variation, most of them can agree that the stability of the timeline/saftey of the world is more important than their ambitions or personal interests.

Which in contrast- says a lot about how strongly pencil feels about getting eliminated

3. The Shift/The BFDIA/TPOT Yoyalite time travel catalysts.

Despite the collapsing time-periods, It seems that the universe is pree-desposed to avoiding a grandfather paradox at all costs- Which is to say, *None of the timeline shifts Prevent either Golf-Ball or Nickel from getting sent forward in time- nor do they change how the rejects in TPOT get sent back in time.* The Yoyalite time-travel events seem to be canon events in it of themselves. So fate seems to be weighted in favor of self-preservation.

In fact, this could probably be the explanation as to why Leafy being invited into Dream Island was so destructive- It's probably one of if not THE most destructive Grand-father Paradox-esque type cf change that could happen to the time-line.

(This also implies that Leafy's loss of Dream island and Firey/Tax Income Document's relationship is also a canon event)

4. Marker's Color/The Present Contestant's appearances

This seems like something that's really not all that stable or un-affected given the start of the episode- but I do think it's notable that Marker only changes Color *Once* in the wake of all the changing timelines hosts and artstyles in the very begining- and also remains the same after it's mostly stabilized.

And to a lesser degree- One giving all of the contestants knowledge of the prime timeline seemed to also prevent them from changing their art-style, like what happened at the intro.

This could imply that either External Knowledge inherently maintains a level of stability in the present- or Four did just a little more than keep everyone's memories.

5. The other Timeline Anomaly Events.

Akin to what I described on #3, it seems like almost none of the times that the Rejects teleport to are changed beyond recognition by any other timeline change from another contesting going even further back- that is, beyond Firey getting replaced by Tax Return Document.

CONCLUSIONS

From this- two possibilities come to mind-

The Timeline is Ultimately predisposed to avoiding any divergence to a change in canon or fate- keeping things from being as bad or incomprehensible is it *Could* be.

1a. It's not fate or the Universe, One has been keeping the timeline a bit more stable to drag things out- so to convince Gaty to sign the contract more efficiently.

1b. It could also be Black Hole- either locking in and keeping things together, or he's just unintentionally/instinctually keeping the fabric of the universe together- while being unaware of their portential.

2. Yoyalite can Access Alternate Universes, in addition to Time Travel.

The present timeline isn't especially Stable or resistant- Yoyalite is just capable of allowing it's users to *Leave it entirely*

The butterfly effects and grandfather paradoxes *ARE* happening, the Yoyalite is just capable of sending people to whatever specific parallel dimension or event is happening- even if not a part of the current timeline.

The Contestents having the knowledge of the Prime canon timeline, is the sole reason that none of the contants are lost to the infinite possibilities and time-line splits. The know which paralell universe splits to go to, therefore the Yoylelite can take them there.

The only major Anomaly here- Is the fact that the Changes in Total Firey Island are so substantial- That they can somehow over-ride the universes contants visit from that moment onwards.

Perhaps There's something Unique about Total Firey Island that gives it a higher level of influence of all the universe than what they Yoyalite can do.

(Perhaps this means Yoyalite is a canonically viable means access other realities- like Inanimate Insanity, or other object shows- if you don't consider the Meetup skits to be canon as is.)

-ANYWAYS.

I'm a huge dork about timetravel in media, and have a lot more fun coming with conclusions than conceding "oh welp, i guess that's just a plot hole"

So if anyone found any interesting implations from my theories- ENJOY i gues xD

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I find it interesting how you've noted a few times that you wouldn't actually recommended Miraculous to any kids, cus I agree.

my 10yr old brother is watching it rn and he's honestly just waiting for the identity reveals and for them to get together. He's Really Close to the target demographic and he keeps asking me why characters do dumb things every other episode.

On Lila specifically: you've mentioned how badly timed her intro and other eps were done and. It's been maybe a week since he watched Volpina, and during Catalyst and Chameleon he had to ask me "why does marinette know she's lying?" "Why does Lila hate ladybug?" Because she's so forgettable after Volpina it has no effect even on a kid whose watching the show way faster than the rest of us did when it released!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I wonder how this show should really be categorised at this point...

Thank you for taking the time to share that with me! I can't say I'm surprised. While some kids obsess over little details, that's not standard child behavior. Shows for kids tend to be episodic specifically because it's easier for kids to follow that narrative style. It's also why shows for kids tend to spell things out. Subtlety is lost on the young because they simply don't have the life experience to pick up on subtlety.

I personally don't recommend Miraculous for kids because I find too many of the morals repugnant and that's the main thing I think about when it comes to what you're putting in front of little kids, but the show's confusing nature is a strong secondary reason to not recommend it. The retcons and poor pacing make it confusing for adults! I don't know how a kid is supposed to follow it plus I think the target demographic is a little too young for the concept of a retcon.

As for how the show should be categorized, in spite of the problems, it is pretty clearly a kids' show. The US rating is Y-7, meaning that it's meant for ages seven and up plus the head writer has explicitly stated that their target is ages five-to-tweleve.* I don't actually disagree with any of that. In terms of content and narrative style, the show is way too kiddy for it to get a teen or adult label. I just don't think it's a very good kids' show because of the more subtle elements. I don't think it should be taken off the air or anything like that, I just wouldn't introduce it to a kid when there are so many better and less confusing shows out there.

*this is the kind of thing I find appropriate to get from Twitter btw

[mentalmeles]

Well. While the brain rot has me, I wanna talk about some lines in ‘Trust Love’ that have been bothering me lately. Mostly how they blatantly reference Penny and how she just might return once more.

Yes, it’s that kind of Penny posting. If you don’t subscribe to the Penny 3.0 theory or think she should stay dead, please carry on and let me have my silly little thoughts in peace. Also this is 100% Nuts and Dolts propaganda. I will not apologize.

ANYWAY! Onto the lyrics!

Right now, your hopes are shattered / Just pointless ever after

This line obviously talks about the loss of hope. Penny, time and again, has been the character to symbolize hope. The most obvious time this has been done was during Jinxy’s auction in Volume 9.

Ruby is inexplicably drawn to the jade marionette, which we all know turns out to be one of Penny’s swords. (And ofc let’s not forget that weapons are considered an extension of their owners in this world.)

Without knowing why, Ruby wants it and tries to wager for it. But Jinxy asks for something in particular—something Ruby has lost.

“Enough hope to fill [a] jar.”

I also want to point out that the pov making it look like the jade marionette is fitting inside the jar as well as the star charm tied around the top are not at all coincidences. This is the show telling us point blank that Penny is the personification of hope. Or at least Ruby’s hope.

But Ruby just lost her. She has no hope left.

But in time, you'll find / Through love, your power just shines

(I felt the need to put this gif here since it is exactly what plays during these lines in the Volume 7 intro, so let’s just sit and think about the implications of that for a moment. Cool? Cool.)

When you don't know where to turn to / And you're sure all hope is gone / When the day you waited for won't come / And dark won't yield to dawn / Trust love and open up your eyes

Now these lines are what get me. They talk about Ruby losing hope and direction, caught in darkness. Now, while this is the intro song for Volume 7, it’s clear that Ruby has not lost her hope yet. If anything, she just got a big chunk of it back.

And I’d argue that even In Volume 8 when shit has hit the fan and it just keeps coming and coming, Ruby hasn’t lost her resolve yet. There are definitely moments when she comes very, very close to it and she falters, but she does end up maintaining it for the most part.

(I can't find it, but imagine the gif where Ruby is looking down at Penny's unconscious body and is tearing up while saying "It's all...too much." Wow. Such a pretty gif.)

(It's also funny how these moments where Ruby's doubts are the strongest are taking place when Penny is seriously wounded and incapacitated, now isn't it? Surely that's just a funny coincidence...)

But then she and the rest of team RWBY fall into the Ever After and, after learning about Penny's second death, Ruby's mental state just falls deeper and deeper.

But then the lyrics tell Ruby that all she has to do during this dark and harrowing moment is to 'trust love.' Who's love is she supposed to trust? The song has been relating to keeping hope up till now, so it's not a stretch to say that she's supposed to trust the love she had for Penny, platonic or otherwise.

Trust love, the truth is there, but sometimes in disguise

These lines are certainly interesting when put into the context that they're also related to Penny somehow. Personally, all I can think of is when Penny transferred the Winter Maiden powers to Winter. I'm definitely not the first to mention this, but it's awfully suspicious that the aura glow was yellow and not green, isn't it? Sure, there were motes of green, but that isn't what happened when Fria gave Penny the powers previously. So why the change? Unless the truth, while there, is disguised. The truth is that Penny is dying and giving up her power, but it's disguised somehow...

The way's uncertain but we're together / Movin' toward the light / When we trust in love and open up our eyes

Mention of Ruby being together with someone. Obviously, this could just be referring to team RWBY or the whole group being together, united under the mission of saving Remnant from Salem. But, again, when mostly every other line has been tied to hope--and by extension Penny--, it's hard to believe it's talking about that. So, maybe a reunion with a certain someone that hasn't happened yet? A reunion that will bring Ruby back towards the light--towards regaining her hope--once and for all? I mean, if Ruby's character arc in the second Justice League crossover movie is where her arc will go in the show proper, it's not too far of a stretch.

(The reason I mention the Justice League crossover movies is because Ruby's arc in the first movie was very reminiscent to the arc she had about her leadership role in Volumes 7 and 8. So, since she became very self sacrificing in that movie, diving headfirst into mission after mission with no regard to her safety, maybe that's what will happen in Volume 10 too? Maybe having the potential of getting Penny back will be the thing to make her stop?)

Anyways... I don't know if any of this really made any sense and I might just be rambling nonsense, but yeah. Some things that I noticed and felt the need to shout out into the ether.

Thanks for reading!

[ahgasegotarmy116]

He Doesn't Deserve You | Intro | Jeon Jungkook

Summary: You husband Taehyung is anything but loving but that doesn't keep him from trying to hold onto you. But what happens when a kind stranger shows up and reminds you of your worth? Pairing: Noona reader x Jeon Jungkook (She's 28 and he's 22) Word Count: 388 Warnings: yändere, manipulative, domestic violence, self harm, cheating, explicit language, eventual smut, idk what else lol this is just the intro p.s. as always barely edited lol (I wrote this in one sitting so I hope it doesn't flop)

I open my eyes to sunlight beaming through the blinds in our room. I stretch and reach out on impulse to see if Taehyung ever came home, but it's the same way it always is...

Waking up to an empty bed without my husband beside me has been something that has become a reoccurring theme in our marriage.

I scoff at the fact that I even bother to call what we have a marriage anymore. I'm simply a warm body that he comes home to whenever he bothers to show up. 

When he's here there's always a turbulent dichotomy of emotions throughout the place we call home.

He's either ready to jump my bones or getting into a fight about the smallest of things.

Our love or lack there of is poisoning us from the inside out and it's times like these that I wake up ready to pack a bag and run.

But I have no place to go. 

After getting ready I look at the faint purple handprints still noticeable on my neck from our last argument. It was a bad one and I wasn't sure if I was even going to make it out alive with what he was doing to me.

I shiver at the memory and decide to change from my v neck tee and resigning to something with a higher collar, knowing already that it covers up the mistakes he's made before.

Because all those were were mistakes right?

He never actually meant to hurt me.

He always comes back and says sorry after he's calmed down and realizes what he's done.

He always tells me that he didn't mean to call me 'that' and that he doesn't know how he got so lucky marrying the girl of his dreams but his actions say otherwise. 

Things weren't like this at the start. We were young and in love and things with him just felt right! We were each other's other half.

Key word: Were.

Now it just feels like we're strangers tied together by some stupid pieces of paper and a string of broken promises. 

My life wasn't supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be happy, build a family and a house full of love. 

Now all I'm left with is an empty bed and a bleeding heart that still beats for him.    

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[strangeunfortunatebeast]

My Unity blab😘😘😘 (Jesus fuck do I have opinions)

Unity was good. I feel like the delivery was ok, maybe not an album that you would wait 2 and 1/2 years for but can you blame the man, he had shit going on.

The pacing was excellent, the songs flowed together well and it told a cohesive story. However, I’ve never been a good fan of artist releasing the heavy hitters of the album before it’s official release. In my opinion Why Not???didn’t have to be a single. I understand it was supposed to be his Eurovision song so releasing it close to the anniversary of Europapa was special. But if your album opens up with a song everyone’s already heard before then it just kinda falls flat. Especially after such a crushing album like Friesland.

I also think Luchtballon should have gone first or be left as a single. Just to make the flow between the two albums better. Like a cut off point between talking about his personal life to the corruption of the music industry and how we need unite to fix it. I understand what he was going for, making it a Eurovision sandwich. But having the first two songs of the album being already released made the intro a tad boring.

The features were probably some of my favorites. 1, Discozwemmen, and We’ll Meet Again made me tear up and instantly became some of my favorite in his discography. Literally perfect, only problem is that they could have been longer just so I had more to listen to.

But then United By Music… I’ve seen a lot of people calling it tasteless and rude. I can understand that. I think that bringing up the most recent election in the US and the genocide in Ukraine are some pretty big sore spots for people. And making a song where you openly make jokes about it could hurt people. But also comedy is the best medicine. Fear is power. Take way the fear of these people and they have no power. Yeah I’ve watch the movie IT, I’m pretty cool I guess.

I think that they also brought up some issues with in their own community. Tommy saying “I’m not a good singer that’s the reason why I rap, I’m not a good rapper that’s the reason why I sing” “I know that I’m white but I wish that I was black” brings up some issues that I’ve seen in the European hip hop/edm community where a lot of culture is stolen from people of color. That’s one of the reasons I’ve never been a big fan of Tommy. But he’s clearly making fun of himself and other people who do that stuff as well. Joost did a similar thing with the line “I like to keep it straight but I also like it gay.” Which could be alluding to the stage gay personas a lot of people put on, himself included. Where he’ll kiss and grind on guys on stage but doesn’t consider himself part of the LGBTQ+ community. I think that it’s good that he realizes these flaws about himself and is willing to put words to it. Not only calling out the hypocrisy’s in the EBU but also with in himself and his community. I think that these are real issues, and they should be fixed, but the first step of fixing a problem is realizing it’s there and putting a name to it.

Another thing that I picked up in the album, is a possible falling out with SkiAggu. I haven’t heard too much about it, but the flow from Friesenjung to Kusnt und Musik to Filthy dog seems like an interesting line up. He blew up on Friesenjung, talked about how he wasn’t SkiAggu with glasses on Kunst und Musik, and then talked about getting into a fight with a German guy on filthy dog. I could be reading into it too much, but if that did happen, then that progression was super cool. Props to him if so.

I think the over all story he was trying to convey is his issue with the party/rave/internet culture. And he’s right it’s fallen off over the years. People used to be so much more caring in converts and raves, and now everyone seems so isolated. I also love bringing back the OG 90s sound he’s been using since Friesland. I hope he sticks to it. Even though this album might have its flaws I can only imagine what his music would sound like in the future if he continues with the 90s/2000s nostalgia vibe.

In conclusion, solid album. Did a good job. Last man standing made me ugly cry. 👍👍👍👍

Also all of the beats went to fucking hard. Tantu put his whole pussy in it and I’ve never been so proud of my little girlfriend.

[golden-rolling-hills]

When Darry realized...

I wrote this yesterday and I figured I'd post it on here before I went and turned it into a full fic. If I do, it will mostly be a darbit fic and this would just be the intro. Please tell me what y'all think so I know if anyone is interested in reading more :)

Darry first realized he was different at 15 years old. He never participated in the lewd lock room talk the rest of the football team bonded over. he always made sure to keep his eyes down and not let his gaze linger too long on any of his sweaty or freshly showered teammates who milled about the locker room and various stages of undress. he never got distracted during games, ogling at the cheerleaders on the sidelines the way that most of his teammates did. His father always told him that once he got a little older, he’d develop an interest in girls and he’d become a lady’s man, just like his dad used to be. A chip off the old block. 

Darry was 15 when he realized the way he thought about the boys in the locker room was the same way his father always told him he’d think about girls. A sick feeling rushed from his head to his stomach at the realization that he’d never be normal. He vowed then and there to keep this secret tucked so far inside of him that maybe it would go away. 

He threw himself into football and studying. He smiled and shook hands and played nice with his classmates to make sure that they all liked him. He got straight A’s and made football captain and was voted boy of the year. Everyone just assumed that he didn’t have time for girls. He accepted an invite to the Sadie Hawkins dance from a nice girl named Susan from his math class. He picked her up at 6, kissed her on the cheek, and told her she looked pretty. His father had never been more proud. 

Paul Holden was the only other sophomore on the football team. He was all golden hair and twinkling eyes and a mischievous smile that made Darry’s stomach do backflips. 

After each practice, Paul would pat Darry on the back and tell him he did a good job. His hand would always linger and he’d smile as soon as he met Darry’s eyes. 

They started hanging out after practice. “we’re just buddying around,” Darry would tell himself. No matter how much he told himself that Paul was just his best friend

and he didn’t think of him as anything more, that didn’t stop the pang he’d feel in his heart when Paul remembered his milkshake order at the dingo or the butterflies he got when Paul would let his hand linger on Darry’s shoulder a little too long, squeezing and rubbing out the tension in his body.there was absolutely nothing going on between him and Paul when they would wake up in Paul’s bed together after a sleepover, facing away from each other, trying so hard not to accidentally touch. Not even when Paul gifted Darry that purple and gold madras shirt for his 16th birthday. 

He stopped being able to ignore it when he woke up naked and sore in the back of Paul’s car with Paul cuddled up and cramped behind him. 

He knew he couldn’t hide from himself anymore when Paul pushed him against the wall and kissed him so hard he forgot that he wasn’t supposed to be doing this. 

When Paul reached for the button on his pants and pushed Darry back onto his bed, he briefly let all his thoughts slip away. For just a minute, he could forget all about football and grades and taking Susan Thompson to the Sadie Hawkins dance. He could forget all about making his father proud and being a role model for his younger brothers. The only thing that mattered was Paul. Paul touching him and Paul kissing him and running his fingers through his hair. The soft words of encouragement that Paul would whisper in his ear when they were alone and were sure that no one could hear what they were doing. 

Darry couldn’t quite figure out when it all fell apart. It could have been the night that his parents sat him down to tell him that college just wasn’t in the picture, even with his scholarship money. He sobbed in his mother’s arms that night. She held him close and stroked his hair, making him feel like a little kid again. 

It might have been the day that Paul left for school. He stopped by Darry’s house to say goodbye, his car packed up. the back seat where he and Darry first woke up together covered in boxes. 

It could have happened slowly, when daily phone calls turned to weekly and then slowly stopped all together. Darry waited by the phone for hours each night waiting for calls that never came.

It was definitely over by the time summer rolled around and Paul wouldn’t even look in Darry’s direction when they ran into each other at the drive in. 

But if you ask Darry, he’ll say that something in him was still hanging on until the day his parents died. Grief stricken and confused, he called Paul. The second he heard his voice on the other end of the line he burst into tears. Paul told him that he was sorry for his loss and to never call his number again. That’s when Darry knew it was over.

[minkieater]

can we hear more about the chain

hello YES

i love you for this question thank you for asking it!!! imma just give u a little snippet of it, this is the intro !

Felix’s warm brown eyes are hidden behind an angry onyx. Dark, pointed, accusing, he faces the brown leather booth that’s carved into the wall of the tour bus, the window just beside it cascading hues of sunshine and shadows across his freckled cheeks as they cruised through cities that remain unnamed. Blue couldn’t say she wasn't used to this look on him, he rarely held a shred of warmth when his eyes were pointed at her, but today was different. He looked at Hyunjin that way, too. 

Jisung was still asleep in the bunk beds at the back of the bus, and she wondered if he was still asleep after the past twenty minutes of Felix-generated commotion. Granted how much partying they’d done last night after Chris reamed the four of them out, Blue wouldn’t be surprised if he was, he always needed more sleep than the three of them did. 

“So that’s it? You have nothing else to say?” Felix stands straight up, his hands balled to fists at his sides, feet firmly planted in the faux hardwood floor that never stopped moving, the bus never stopped moving. This wasn’t Blue’s argument– this wasn’t her place to say anything. “All you have to say is ‘I’m sorry?’”

She wasn't exactly sure why Hyunjin was apologizing in the first place– she never asked him to. 

“The tabloids are running rampant– they said our show last night was a doozy. Do you not think the two of you are to blame?” 

She and Hyunjin share a look. Blinking at each other, saying so many words between the eye contact but verbalizing none of them. It could be partially her fault, but she would only take a fraction of the blame, she wished she could tell Felix show business isn’t all that it seems, but that excuse only works until it doesn’t. Felix knows it’s deeper than that, between Blue and Hyunjin. That’s what really upsets him. 

What Felix doesn’t realize is that it’s deeper than that between himself and Hyunjin, too. If Blue could see it, she wasn't sure why Felix couldn't. 

Their show last night was a doozy. They weren’t harmonious as usual, it was disorganized, it was awkward, none of them could get into a flow. Every chord was played flawlessly, Blue sang every note at perfect pitch, it was the four of them that couldn’t get it together. Felix couldn’t look at Blue, Jisung shied away from Hyunjin’s eye contact, their crowds were used to seeing them nearly maul each other onstage– flirting, a kiss every once in a while, sharing microphones, Blue trading her guitar for Jisung’s… Fans were used to seeing them as a unit. Last night they couldn’t be further apart. 

On top of that, Chris didn’t hold back after the show ended. 

He called them a slew of insults backstage: Morons, ungrateful pricks, undeserving of their money and fame, selfish for letting personal endeavors come before their jobs. Their fans. Their duty to entertain. As a manager, he was allowed, he was paid to keep the four of them in check. But Chris couldn’t be everywhere all the time, he couldn’t always stop the touching, the sneaking into each other’s bunks on the bus, the sneaky bathroom breaks when they stopped at a bar for a bite to eat on tour. He couldn’t catch them in the act, he was too busy managing them, figuring out their schedules, their security. 

All of this, because Felix caught Blue instead of Chris. All of this, because Blue couldn’t keep her hands off of Hyunjin. Because Hyunjin couldn’t keep his hands off of Blue. Because Blue couldn’t keep her hands off of Jisung. Because Hyunjin couldn’t keep his hands off of Felix. 

She supposed that was one of the main things that kept the four of them together. 

[fishsticksloser]

Heartache

Hobie x gn!reader

Warnings: swearing, angst and no comfort, breakups

A/N: how's this for my first Spiderverse fic? This is also based on the Character AI intro by fairybaby. The intro is written by them, but after that is all me. :) Sorry it's so late... Shit happened :(

Good  |  Bad

"You miss me yet?" Hobie asks, glancing back at you. His smile is slow, like he knows the answer but wants to hear it from you anyway. "Whenever you want me back, you can have me."

He already apologized—three times—for missing another date. You know he’s busy. Dismantling systems of oppression doesn’t give him a lot of free time. He spends whatever time he can with you, obviously. Even if he doesn’t like labels—you and him are together. It doesn’t matter that you’re a little mad at him.

"Hobie..." You sigh, shake your head. "What are we...? Really, what are we?"

"I don’t do labels," Hobie responds, shifting to meet your gaze. "I think…" He trails off, trying to convey it without sounding mushy or sentimental—both things that he’s not good at expressing. He nods, his voice and his gaze steady. "I think we’re something... Something that can last."

"Then why can't you make time for me?" You ask, looking at him desperately. "What do I actually mean to you?"

"I do make time for you!" He protests, not meeting your gaze suddenly. "I’m busy. I’m a busy guy. I work a lot." He runs a hand over his dreads, sighing to himself. "You know that—I think you just want me to say what I think. You know I feel. You’re really important to me." His voice is quiet.

"You've missed so many dates! Some of which you planned... No call, no text..." You huff, looking away from him, exasperated. "This is the fifth time we've rescheduled over this one date..."

“I know, I’ve apologized!" he replies, his voice sharp. "Look, I’m sorry, okay? I can’t plan my whole day around you—I just can’t." He sighs, shaking his head. Hobie rubs the back of his neck. "You know I like to keep things spontaneous. Hey, I’m sorry, okay? If you’re upset, then that’s on me."

"I don't expect you to plan your whole day around me, Hobart!" You say, a bit angrily. "What I want is for you is to actually show up when you say you will. You... Fuck, Hobie, I haven't seen you in weeks! You texted me about this date and I got so excited... I was so excited to see you and you didn't come... I just... I don't want to be second place to you when you're always first in mine..."

He mutters, his arms crossed over his chest as something inside him starts to burn. "I’m the one who’s busy, I’m the one who does important work—I’m the one who has responsibilities—and that’s how I treat you? Like you're some afterthought? Well, that’s okay." He shakes his head, turning away from you suddenly. "You can find someone else to put you first." His gaze hardens, and he starts to walk away.

"You're first place in my life... I always put you first. I always make time for you, Hobie." You say softly, you wrap your arms around yourself protectively. "I don't want someone else. I want you, but you don't seem to want me at all, do you?"

"You think I don’t want you?" His voice rises. He stops, not looking at you. "Do you have any idea how important you are to me? How much I care about you?" He lets out an angry growl before he speaks again. Hobie whirls to face you, an angry fire in his eyes. "Don’t you dare say that I don’t care about you. How dare you! I have other things to do besides go on dates with you!"

"If I'm so important to you, why can't you make time for me!?" You yell back. "You think it's just dates!? I... I haven't seen you in almost a month, you hardly ever text me, no calls. What am I supposed to think?" You sigh and close your eyes, reigning in your anger. "I understand what you do is important, but I put things aside for you because you're important to me. I... I can't keep going like this, Hobie. I need you. Not all the time, but sometimes..."

"I have a life, Y/N!" He responds, his eyes glaring and blazing as you yell at him. "You’re not all of my life, you know! I have my music, I have my activism, I have… I have—" Hobie pauses, letting out a breath of exhaustion. His voice now softer, quieter.. "Look, I care about you. I really do. I’m sorry I don’t make you a bigger part of my life, but I’ve got a lot going on right now, okay?"

"Then let me help!" You tell him desperately, stepping closer to him. "Whatever we are, it's... It's part of what we do is help each other... I... I want to help you, Hobie. But I can't when you just leave me, I can't when you ghost me. Whatever we are, we're in this together. If you can't trust me with that then why are we even together?"

He lets out a breath of frustration, shaking his head as you approach him, the anger in his voice giving way to the weariness inside him. "I don’t need any help." He says curtly, not meeting your gaze. "I don’t want any help," he mutters before speaking up again. "You’re right. Why are we even together if I can’t trust you? Maybe this whole thing was a mistake," he continues, his voice laced with disappointment and sadness. "I think this was a mistake."

You watch Hobie walk away before you go home and lay in bed. You put your hand in the pocket of his hoodie you're wearing and pull out something. It’s a shiny, slightly metallic spider totem, smooth to the touch and small enough to fit in your whole hand. It's a funny little gift you'd gotten him after he told you he was Spider-Man. It’s polished to a near-mirror sheen thanks to the amount of times Hobie rubbed his thumb against it whenever he was nervous. But now, looking at it brings only more questions—and questions lead to guilt.

If he cared about you, he’d fight harder for your relationship.

That’s what you told yourself, but you couldn’t help but doubt every time your thoughts wandered down that path.

What if he just didn’t care? What if he didn’t love you? What if you were just a burden on him? What if he could have better than you? What if he didn’t need you?

He did care about you. He really, truly did. He was just… preoccupied. Life got in the way, so often. He was busy, he was so busy. There were so many things to do, so many problems to solve. He wanted to share all of that with you, but how could he? How could he find time to be with you, when there was so much else to do? He wanted you. He wanted to be with you. But his heart said one thing while his brain said another.

Hobie wasn’t the best at communicating, that’s for sure. He was so used to being on his own, being independent and self-sufficient, that he forgot his actions—or his inaction—had the potential to hurt people around him. He wasn’t the best at letting people in, at all. He wasn’t the best at letting people stay. He was too afraid, too cowardly to admit all of those things. But if you’re willing to stick with him… he just might learn to be better.